


Fire Emblem Awakening - History Retold

by orphan_account



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Character Death, F/M, Kissing, Sex, Sexual Content, Spoilers, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-25 22:15:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15649980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Fire Emblem Awakening, the story retold, Join the shepherds as a OC/Male Reader, travel with Chrom, Robin, and the rest of the shepherds.





	1. Prologue - The Verge of History

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fan fiction, so apologizes if my writing isn't that great, feedback would be appreciated, This is a Male Reader x Female Morgan fan fiction, story is told from the beginning of Awakening.

 

 

Robin's POV 

When I finally started to open his eyes, my ears picked up the sound of voices above him. My vision adjusting to the light, I saw two people above him, a blue haired youth and a blond-haired girl. When they noticed my eyes move they gasped a bit in happiness, seeing me awake. After saying a few more words the blue haired youth had offered me a hand. At first I wasn't sure what to do, but something inside me told him that it was okay. Smiling a bit I took his hand and grunted a bit as this man hoisted me back onto my feet. Letting go the blue haired youth spoke again.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yes… thank you, Chrom" I said softly. The blue haired man called Chrom perked up a bit as he said that. After all, this young man who he had never met had just identified him in less than a minute.

"You know who I am? Chrom asked with a surprised look.

Hearing that I tensed a bit as it just dawned on me, I had no idea who this Chrom was, and yet I knew his name. Not sure what to say I answered his question.

"No I… it's strange… your name just came to me" I said deciding honesty was the best thing to go with. Seconds later I started to regret this choice as Chrom gave me a stern look.

"Strange… what's your name then, and what brings you here?" he asked politely trying to learn more about me. His face told me he wasn't fully convinced that I was being honest, but not fully convinced I was lying either.

"My name is… its…I don't know..." I was shocked, nothing was coming to me. I couldn't remember my own name. In fact I couldn't remember anything about myself, my past, why I'm was here, where I was going, my mind was drawing a total blank. Gripping my head a bit from the realization Chrom could guess something was wrong.

"You don't remember your name?" he questioned.

"No… I'm not even sure if…. where am I exactly?" I asked looking around, nothing familiar to me at all. Seeing his reactions the young girl spoke up.

"Hey I've heard of this, it's called amnesia!" she said taking a few steps towards him. However an arm suddenly stopped her. It belonged to the third member of the group. I could see he was the oldest of the group, sporting blue and white armor on his entire body except his head. From his face I could see he wasn't buying any of what I was saying. Moving in front of the two youths he glared at me with contempt causing me to gulp a bit, as if I was about to be charged with a crime.

"It's called a load of Pegasus dung" he said, his stern gaze never leaving me "Were to believe you remember milord's name, and not your own?" he questioned.

"B-but it's the truth!" I said taking a few steps back, worried what this man might do to me. After all there was no way I could prove it was true, this was a hard tale to believe no matter what one was to think. Before the man could press me further a gloved hand appeared on his shoulder, it was Chrom's.

"What if it IS true Frederick, we can't just leave him here, alone and confused" he said to the brown-haired man "What sort of Shepherds would we be then?"

"Just the same milord, I must emphasize caution, it would not do to let a wolf into are flock" The man known as Frederick argued politely. His gaze turned back towards me as he said that, as if he was making sure I wouldn't pull something behind his back.

Chrom understanding his words nodded "I understand Frederick, that's why we'll take him back to town and sort things out there" he said coming over to me.

"H-hold on a minute, don't I get a say in this?" I asked, not liking the sound of that at all. It was clearly going to end up being an interrogation when they got there, one in which I would be most happy to avoid. However as I saw Chrom's face I could see that just going in the opposite direction wasn't an option.

"Peace friend, I promise we'll hear what you have to say back in town, now come" he said walking past me. Of course I didn't follow at first, but Frederick ushered me along as he got back on his horse. It didn't take a genius to know there was no way a person could outrun a horse, not in wide plains like this. Adding to that I could see the knight had a sliver lance attached to his horse's saddle, not a good person to try and run from. Sighing a bit, I decided to comply with their demands, following the group towards this town close by.

As they walked I took a bit of time to study them all. From what I could tell they didn't seem to be average travelers, and they certainly weren't dressed for the part either. Maybe they were a group of mercenaries or something, after all two of their group were wearing armor. As I looked at Chrom, the apparent leader of the trio I couldn't help but wonder. How had I known his name, over something like remembering my own? Was he important to me or something, or did I know it for some reason I couldn't remember because of my so called amnesia. Well regardless, this Chrom guy was an interesting person. After all he had defended me from that Frederick guy, even though there was nothing wrong with his accusations. I honestly couldn't tell if he thought Chrom was noble for believing me, or stupid for being so trusting of a complete stranger.

Remembering my current predicament I spoke up "What will you do with me… am I to be your prisoner?" I asked softly.

Hearing myself, Chrom let out a small chuckle at my words, turning back to face me with a smile of amusement.

"You'll be free to go once we establish your no threat to Ylisse" he said simply, trying to ease my fears.

Looking at him I tilted my head a bit "Is that where we are… Ylisse?" I questioned.

"You've never heard of the Halidom?" Frederick asked from his horse in disbelief. "Ha! Someone pay this actor, he plays quite the fool! The furrowed brow is especially convincing" he added not believing him in the slightest.

"Frederick please" Chrom said raising a hand at him, causing the mounted man to back off on his verbal attack. Turning back to face him Chrom spoke again "This land is known as the Halidom of Ylisse, Our ruler Emmeryn, is called the exalt" he explained.

"I see… Exalt Emmeryn" I said.

"Yeah, speaking of which I suppose we should introduce ourselves. My name is Chrom, but then again you already knew that" he said, causing me to scratch my head a bit at his comment. Paying him little heed he pointed to the blond girl next to him "The delicate one here is my little sister Lissa". Saying that caused her to give her brother a pout like glare, as Chrom looked at her with a little amusement on his face.

"I am NOT delicate!" she said to him giving him a hmph as she turned towards me "Ignore my brother please, but your lucky the Shepherds found you, brigands would have been a rude awakening." she added giving me a little bow of introduction as she did.

I tilted my head again a bit "Shepherds? You tend sheep… in full armor?" I questioned not sure what to think of it.

Chrom cracked a smile "It's a dangerous job, just ask Frederick the Wary here" he said looking at the armored man on his horse.

"A title I shall wear with pride" Frederick said standing up a bit straighter on his horse "Heaven forbid one of us keeps an appropriate level of caution". He then looked down at me, again his face as stern as ever "I wish to trust you stranger, but my station demands otherwise".

I nodded "I understand, I would do the same thing if I were in your position… my name is Robin" I said catching them by surprise, which I realized myself a few seconds later. "I just remembered that… huh I guess that's one mystery solved" I said turning back to face Chrom, a bit happy to have suddenly remembered that at least.

"Robin huh" Chrom said smiling as well "Well were almost to town once we-

"Chrom, look!" Lissa suddenly shouted causing all three men to look back at her. Seeing her pointing towards the sky they all looked up to see smoke rising into it, too much smoke. Within seconds we scrambled up the hill in front of them, when we reached the top they saw a terrible sight. The village that was down there was burning.

"That's not good" I said as could see the fire's spreading.

"Damn, the towns ablaze!" Chrom said with an angry look on his face "Those blasted brigands no doubt" he added. He then turned to face the others "Lissa, Frederick, let's move!"

"What about him milord?" Frederick asked pointing to me.

"Unless he's on fire as well it can wait" Chrom said "Now let's go!" he said as he charged down the hill towards the town, with Lissa and Frederick in close pursuit.

"But what about..." I trailed off watching them head off to the village, losing sight of them after a few minutes of me just standing. Shaking my head unsure what to do my eyes slowly spied the sword at my belt. Looking at it for a few seconds then looking back at the town, I took a deep breath and chased after them.

Meanwhile inside the village chaos filled the streets. People were fleeing from the group of brigands that had taken over there town in a mad rush. Standing in the middle of town the leader a dirty man with a small ponytail laughed at his handiwork, having set a huge church on fire. The majority of his gang watching it burn with him.

"Boss" another brigand shouted coming over to him "I've caught a lovely one" he said dropping a village women near his feet.

The brigand boss chuckled as he eyed the catch. She was a young blond women, which was his favorite type. She wasn't the only one, there were five other women tied up in a corner near the burning church. Once this was all over he planned to sort them out, either keeping them or selling them to slave traders. Either way he and his band were going to walk away with big pockets. Raising his axe into the air the other brigands turned to face there leader as he went over to the women.

"Gwa ha ha, good work lads, now get to it, grab anything shiny, and put the rest to the torch!" he said grabbing the blond women by her arm, lifting her up so he could see her face. "We've gots an example to set for these Ylissean types, ain't that right lass?" he said cupping her chin in his hand his boys laughing a bit as he did.

"S-stay away from me! Please! Someone! HEEEEELP!" the women screamed out trying to break his grip. The sight of his ugly face making her skin crawl, and his rancid breath making her want to gag.

"Boss!" another brigand shouted coming over to him, causing him to drop the women suddenly.

"What is it?!" he shouted "Can't ya see I'm busy here?"

"I saw some folks heading towards the village, I think it's them shepherds we heard about" he said.

Hearing that the boss grunted "So the sheep's have come to the slaughter huh, well then boys change of plans" he said to his gang. Walking over to the church sign he raised his axe "Find these goody two shoes, and put an axe in them!" he ordered to his gang as he swung chopping the sign in half. Roaring out shouts of approval eight guys splintered off, ready to crave up the people that were planning to spoil their fun.

At this point I had just reached the town, looking around I saw no one around, but I could tell Chrom and the others had gone through here recently since two brigands were on the ground dead. I began to slowly walk into the town, looking for any sign of what direction they had taken. As I did however a lone brigand had already spotted me. Carrying an axe, he started to sneak up behind me.

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…" I thought as I reached a staircase leading into the city as the man drew closer and closer to me. Once he was close the axe man lifted his weapon, planning to chop me in two.

"ROBIN BEHIND YOU!" a familiar voice shouted. I immediately turned around in response, seeing the axe coming down I took a few steps backward in panic. Forgetting about the stairs I fell backwards, the axe blade barely missing me as I rolled to the bottom of the stairs.

The brigand then turned to see Chrom charge him, his blade drawn. Readying his axe he swung down planning to chomp Chrom in half. Chrom was ready however and at the last second dodged to the left of the brigand, and then with a quick dash step he slashed him across his chest, knocking him off his feet. The brigand was dead the moment he hit the ground bleeding from the huge open wound.

As I got up Chrom quickly hurried down to me, with Lissa and Frederick coming towards them quickly.

"Robin… you followed us, why?" Chrom asked glad to see that I wasn't badly hurt.

"I…. I want to help" I said as I showed him my sword "I'm armed and I know my way around a fight… if you'll have me?" I said but then I gripped my arm a bit, apparently having hurt it from that fall.

Chrom looked at him as Lissa came down to them "Okay…. we could use the help, but stay close and stay vigilante" he ordered "I won't be able to always save you" he added.

I nodded as Lissa took his hurt arm into her hand. Before I could even begin to ask what she was doing she raised her staff, which started to produce a pulse of light. Within seconds my arm felt better than ever. Moving it around a bit Lissa gave a smirk "I may not be able to fight like Chrom, but when you get hurt it will be me stitching your bones back together, care of my trusted staff" She said. Looking back at Chrom she gave him a smirk "So WHO'S the delicate one Chrom?" she asked. Chrom just shook his head at her need to get in the last word.

"I see… thanks for healing my arm Lissa" I said causing Lissa to blush a bit from embarrassment.

"Oh it was nothing" she said kicking a the ground a little "I've healed a lot worse".

"If you all are done, we have company" Frederick said. Raising his silver lance forward, all three turned to see eight brigands coming towards them, apparently having heard the commotion over here. Five of them were axe wielders, the other three were carrying swords as they charged towards them.

"Lissa stand back" Chrom said readied his sword again while I reached for my own sword. Lissa complied immediately retreating up the steps near Frederick.

"So Robin I see you wear a sword, is it- Wait is that a tome… you know magic?" Chrom asked noticing the tome carrier attached to my belt too.

"I believe so?" I said looking at it, having not noticed that it was there. "I suppose I should check…" I said grabbing it off my belt in place of unsheathing his sword.

"You believe so?" Chrom questioned "Perhaps I'll just keep a few paces behind you for the time being" he said, clearly not liking the idea of getting zapped by friendly fire.

"No I can control it I'm sure" I reaffirmed to him weakly, looking back at the charging brigands. "Now how did this work again… ah yes" I said to himself, raising my hand at the brigands. Muttering an incantation my hand produced a ball of electric energy. With a thrust of my hand it fired at the brigands who were not ready for it. One of the axe wielders was hit dead on electrocuting him severely as he hit the ground. This caused the rest to scatter to the sides, not wanting to get zapped like there companion.

But I didn't have time to think as another axe man from the right charged towards me. I was ready this time however, slipping the tome back into its holster and drawing my blade. As the brigand started to prepare his swing I swung down, catching his axe and knocking it outta his hands. With a swift kick I knocked the bandit off his feet, quickly grabbing my tome and firing another lighting spell, frying him.

Chrom wasn't left out of the brawl either. Fighting two bandits at once, he was proving himself a very capable fighter. Blocking the sword of one bandit he then swung around him as another axe man swung horizontally, causing him to slicing through his buddy rather than Chrom. Not giving him a chance to counterattack Chrom charged him and slashed him across his body vertically, ending his life in one blow. Soon enough the combined efforts of the three men had finished off the eight bandits.

"Is that all of them?" I asked.

"No, there leader is most likely up ahead" Frederick said "Along with what's left of these bandits".

"Then we'd better hurry and end this" Chrom said, with everyone nodding in agreement.

Back in the square the boss and his remaining flunkies were toying with the girls they had captured. A couple with perverted looks on their faces as the girls squirmed away from them, praying to god someone would help them. Soon Chrom and the group had arrived in the central plaza. Hiding behind a building, I saw Chrom Chrom peek his head out, seeing the situation. He then looked back at me, finding Lissa checking some of my injuries from the last fight, I was insisting I was okay, but she wouldn't listen.

"Looks like there's six left… but they have girls from the village with them" Chrom said getting everyone's attention.

"I imagine they won't hesitate to take a hostage if things go sour" Frederick said "We must approach this carefully".

"But how are going to get them away from them?" Lissa asked.

"Well we can't stay here all day, we need a plan and fast" Chrom said trying to think of one, yet unable to think up anything. Strategy was never something he was good at, neither was Lissa or Frederick for that matter.

As they pondered on it I went to look at the bandits one more time, slowly finding myself starting to study the layout of the area as well. The central plaza of town was a square shaped area; the only way to get to the bandits from where they were was small path over the stream that went straight towards the burning church. However there was a path to the right in the plaza that looped around towards the women. From of looks of it, the brigands hadn't paid it much mind, having no one over there. Factoring all these things in his mind I slowly turned back to my new friends who were still thinking.

"Guys I have a plan of attack" I said surprising the three Shepherds a bit. I can tell none of them expecting there amnesiac new companion to have a plan. Neither were they expecting me to have such a tactical look in my eyes, not even Frederick who in all appearances was the most veteran fighter.

"You do?" Chrom asked wanting to be sure he heard me right.

"Yeah, they will most likely take a hostage, but if we can execute it perfectly it won't matter" I said. This made the group stare at me in shock and puzzlement, after all that was the thing they were trying to avoid the most.

"Are you crazy Robin?!" Lissa asked "That's just plain stupid"

"I must say I have to agree with milady" Frederick agreed "This plan sounds too risky".

"I know, it sounds crazy even I admit, but if we all go charging in now we will be in a worse position" I logically spoke to the young cleric and knight.

Lissa and Frederick both still looked at me with doubts, but to their surprise Chrom nodded "Alright… what do we do?" he asked.

"Milord are you sure this is wise?" Frederick asked a little shocked.

Chrom nodded "Robin has risked his life for Ylissian lives… that's more than enough reason to give him are trust" Chrom spoke. "Besides, I can see confidence in his eyes, he's thought this through very carefully, I know you can see it too Frederick".

Frederick grunted through his nose a bit but nodded "Alright… let's hear this plan of yours Robin… and pray it works" he said giving me his undivided attention. Lissa slowly nodded too wanting to trust me as well. Chrom smiled seeing them in agreement and turned to their new friend, confident his trust wasn't misplaced.

I nodded "Thank you… all of you, now here's the plan…"

A few minutes the thugs were starting to get impatient, there companions should have returned by now. The leader grunted in annoyance looking at one of his grunts with irritation.

"You, how many people did ya see coming?" he asked referring to the Shepherds.

"Uhhh, I think there was only three when I saw them" he thought, trying to recall the numbers.

The boss grunted "Three versus eight… how strong could they possibly be?" he questioned to himself. His thoughts were quickly interrupted however at the sound of a horse. All of the thugs turned to see Frederick riding out in a sudden dash. He wasn't alone however; Chrom was riding with him, his sword drawn. Seeing them charge the boss let out a war cry as the thugs charged the two men on the horse. However as they did Frederick impaled one with his lance, and then with incredible strength threw his body at another sending both into the stream. As he did Chrom focused on the others, using his sword to protect Frederick's horse as they galloped away from the remaining three. Then with a jerk of the reins Frederick's horse did a one-eighty and galloped at them full speed. With his lance straight in front of him Frederick's lance ran down one of the remaining three brigands, knocking the others of their feet as they scrambled to get out of his way. However to their shock Chrom had leapt off Fredericks moving horse and swung down slicing the bandit straight down the middle. Seeing his comrade get slain the other one rushed him. Seconds later he got impaled in the chest having forgotten about Frederick as he had charged swiftly back around to finish him off. As for Chrom, he was already moving to his next target, the bandit quickly trying to crawl out of the water. Before he could fully stand up he was impaled in the gut by Chrom's blade. Pulling his sword out he let the thug fall back into the water, his eyes now focused on the leader as was Frederick's.

"Whoa… that was amazing" Lissa said as she watched from the sidelines behind the building. She had seen Chrom and Frederick fight before sure, but never in such a combo. But the real shocker was not them but Robin, who had coordinated everything about their attack, down to what the bandits would do in response. So far Robin plan had worked perfectly.

Seeing all of his men dead, the thugs leader started to sweat. He could not believe it, but despite the lack of numbers two men had taken out his entire group. Knowing he stood no chance his eyes darted back to the hostage. Rushing over to them he grabbed one of them and held his axe to her throat, the women shivering in fear.

"Back off! Or I kill these girls one after the other!" he barked.

Chrom grunted, baring his teeth a bit as he pointed his sword at the bandit leader "Hurt even one of them and you won't live another second!"

"Nice try sheep boy, but I'm in control here, now drop your weapons" he ordered bringing the axe blade closer to the women's throat.

Chrom grunted in anger again, but slowly he let go of his sword its blade falling into the ground next to him. Frederick also complied, dropping his lance to the ground. Just when the bandit let a smirk escape his lips he felt cold steel enter his back and appear from his chest, red blood dripping from it. Coughing up blood the bandit leader took a few steps forward before falling to the ground his life fading in only a matter of moments.

Sighing in relieve I went over to the women who was on her knees "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yes… thanks to you" she said softly, her eyes watering up from gratefulness. As I helped her calm down the rest of the gang came up to them, with Lissa and Chrom quickly releasing the rest of the hostages. Each one was crying a bit in happiness, the emotional ordeal over.

"Glad to see everyone's alright" Chrom said softly.

"We can't celebrate yet milord, the fires are still raging we need to put them out" Frederick reminded them all.

"Right, Frederick see if you can't round up the villagers, it's going to take everyone to put this all out quickly" Chrom ordered. Nodding Frederick quickly raced off on his horse, leaving the rest of them to find buckets. For the next few hours everyone tolled, trying to put out all the fires. By the evening the fires had all been extinguished, a few homes were lost but the majority of the town remained intact for the most part.

Sitting down I gave an exhausted sigh, my muscles sore not just from fighting, but putting out the village too. Despite that however I was smiling at a job well done. "That was hard…" I said as Lissa sat down next to him exhausted as well.

"Yeah, lucky for the town we were close by" she said before turning to face me her eyes full of amazement. "But you were amazing Robin, swords, sorcery, tactic's, is there anything you can't do?" she asked counting his skills with her fingers.

"You're certainly no helpless victim" Chrom added as he and Frederick walked over to them.

"Indeed, perhaps now you might be capable of an explanation for how you came here?" Frederick asked, now more the ever questioning his amnesia story.

"I understand your skepticism Sir Frederick, and I can't explain why only some knowledge has return to me, but I've told you all I know, please believe me" I said looking at the knight. However Chrom was the one to speak next placing his hand on my shoulder turning my attention to him.

"As I've stated before, you've helped to save Ylissian lives, my heart saids that's enough" he smiled.

"And your mind as well?" Frederick asked not wanting Chrom to go on just feelings alone. Despite his concerns Chrom shook his head a bit before giving him a solid face.

"Frederick, the Shepherds could use someone of Robin's talents, we have brigands and unruly neighbors threatening to bloody are soil, would you really lose such an able tactician?" he questioned "Besides, I believe his story, odd as it might be" he added turning back to face me.

"So how about it, will you join us Robin?" Chrom asked.

I looked at the hand in front of him, then back up at Chrom. For a minute I did nothing, but slowly a smile appeared on my face as I placed my hand in Chrom's, shaking it.

"I would be honored" I said with a soft smile. Lissa smiled herself as well as her brother, both of them happy to have a new companion with them. Frederick however just sighed as he turned to look at the church building traces of smoke coming out of it still. Suddenly he spoke up.

"Did you notice milord… the brigands spoke with a Plegian accent" he said.

In the blink of an eye Chrom's expression turned serious as he turned to face Frederick "Yeah I noticed that" he said.

I got up slowly along with Lissa at hearing that "Plegian… what's that?" I asked.

"Plegia is Ylisse's westerly neighbor… they send small bands into are territory hoping to instigate war" Chrom said, his face as serious as Fredericks right now. I could clearly tell from the anger in his eyes that this had happened for a long time now.

"And it's the poor townsfolk who suffer" Lissa added, her hand balling into a fist "Totally innocent… and totally helpless" she said anger filling her voice.

"They do have us milady" Frederick suddenly said to her, "Shepherds to protect the sheep. Do not be swept up in your anger, it will cloud your judgment" he said causing the young cleric to sigh a bit, then slowly smiled.

"I know, I know…" she said looking up at the church "Don't worry, I'll get used to all of this" she said, her brother and Robin smiling as she said that, nodding with her. It was then that all four heard steps coming towards them. Turning to their right they saw multiple townsfolk standing right next to them. Taking the initiative one village man spoke up.

"Milord please, you must stay the night" he said bowing to them a bit "We are simple folk of simple means, but we would gladly toast your valor with a feast!" he said. This caused Lissa's eyes to sparkle in delight.

"Dark meat only for me, medium well and no salt in the soup. I simply-

"A most generous offer sir" Frederick interrupted her "No doubt your hospitality would be grand, but we must hurry back to Ylisstol" he said, smiling for the first time since I had met him. To be honest, I thought it looked a tad creepy coming from him.

"What!? We're not staying, but Frederick it's nearly dark!?" Lissa complained clearly not wanting to miss a chance at free food and a warm bed. Chrom and Robin weren't looking too thrilled about this either but held their tongues.

"When night falls, will camp, eat of the land, make our bed of twigs and the like, I believe you mention you would 'get used to all of this'?" he questioned as he turned to face her, that smile ever present on his face.

Giving up, Lissa's face plunged into a depressed pout "Frederick, sometimes I hate you" she said softly to his face.

"You've got quite the stern lieutenant there" I said to Chrom and Lissa.

"Yeah well stern's one name, I can think of a few more" Lissa said with an annoyed tone.

Chrom nodded "Frederick only smiles when he's bringing down the axe" he said softly to me. It sounded more like a warning to me then an opinion.

"Duly noted" I muttered back as Frederick cleared his throat getting back their attention.

"You do realize I am still present?" Frederick asked his face back to its normal stern looking frown.

"Oh we realize" Chrom joked, getting a few laughs out there new tactician. Frederick however didn't look amused.

"Milord remains as amusing as ever. Now then, shall we be going?" he asked getting on his horse.

"All right" Chrom said turning to face me "Ready to go, the capital isn't far from here".

"Yeah" I nodded as Chrom and Lissa started walking past him. Taking only a few steps forward Frederick came up next to me.

"Robin hold a moment" Frederick said to him softly, Chrom and Lissa not noticing they stopped.

"What is it Frederick?" I asked confused why he stopped you.

"It's about that mark on your right hand" Frederick said pointing it out to me.

I looked at it, the strange purple mark staring back at me in a way. Seeing it made me shiver a bit, yet I didn't know why. "I noticed it too when Chrom first helped me up… do you know what it means?" I asked the knight, showing it to him a bit closer.

Frederick eyed the mark a bit but then shook his head "No…. I have no idea what it means" he said in the same tone of voice as always. Without warning he tossed me a right-handed glove "I found this near your person, I assume it's yours" Frederick said pointing to the one on his left. I looked at it and nodded seeing they looked the same. Quickly, I put the glove over my right hand covering the mark from sight. Not seeing it anymore made me feel a bit more at ease.

"Thanks for picking it up" I said with a soft smile "Guess I owe you one".

"It's was no trouble" Frederick said his expression calming a bit.

"Hey!" Lissa's voice rang out to them, Chrom and Lissa finally noticing they weren't following "Are your guys coming or not?"

"Sorry Lissa" I said rushing over to them "Frederick was just giving me something back" I said as Frederick trotted over to them as well. Thoughts going through the knights head as he looked at Robin.


	2. Unwelcome Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shepherds have now acquired Robin on their team, as they head towards Ylisstol, they find trouble along the way.

 

True to his word, when night fell, Frederick stopped, insisting they set up camp now that it was too dark to continue safely. Thankfully, they had extra bedrolls; despite his suspicious nature, Frederick truly was prepared for anything, it seemed. After a short foray into the woods while Robin and Chrom were setting a campfire, Frederick returned with what he proclaimed to be "dinner": a bear carcass, to Lissa's dismay.

"Who on earth eats bear!?" Lissa protested, for about the eighteenth time. "Gods, couldn't you have speared us an animal normal people eat for once?"

"Bear is fine, Lissa," Chrom said, clearly accustomed to his sister's antics. "Just try it. It just tastes like meat." Frederick quickly apportioned some of the roasted bear for the others, who sat down on logs around the campfire.

"You're messing with the food chain! Come on, Robin, help me out here!" Lissa continued, turning to her newest friend for support. Unfortunately for her, Robin was famished and devouring his portion with relish. "Robin! "You're not helping!" She sighed. "I guess a person would enjoy just about anything after not eating for days…"

"Just eat it Lissa," Chrom urged. "It's just meat."

"Since when does meat smell like old boots? Wait, I take that back, boots smell better!"

"Every experience makes us stronger, milady. Even those we don't enjoy." Frederick assured, and Lissa rounded on him. For a moment, it looked as if she was ready to continue the tirade, but then she smiled slyly.

"Really? Then why don't I see you eating, Frederick?"

"Me? Oh. I'm, well… not hungry. I had a large lunch. Yes, quite," the knight stammered. Lissa was unconvinced, and stormed off into the woods, complaining about the smell of roasted bear the whole time.

"Should I keep an eye on her?" Robin asked, looking around uneasily.

"Nah. I'll have a word with her," Chrom said, climbing to his feet. "Besides, these woods are pretty quiet at this time of the night. We don't really have wolves or anything else to worry about."

"Perhaps we should've pushed on through," Frederick remarked quietly. "We sent the others ahead when we found Robin, maybe we could've tried to catch up to them tonight instead."

Chrom shook his head. "It's too dark. It would be pretty embarrassing to be brought down by a stray branch after a day of dealing with Plegian bandits. I'll be right back." With that, Chrom strolled off, searching for Lissa.

To his surprise, it took him nearly five minutes to catch up to his sister. "Lissa!" he called. Lissa turned and acknowledged him with a wave, before turning her attention back upwards. Chrom marched over to her side, then turned, enraptured by the odd sight as well.

A large glyph formed of white light hovered in the air, parallel to the ground. For a moment, both of them stared at the strange symbol, transfixed. Beams of light streaked downwards at various angles, touching down on the ground thirty feet down around it. As the surrounding trees burst into flame, and the earth itself began to shake, the enchantment the sight held upon the two was broken.

"Lissa, run!" Chrom cried. The two of them raced off, with Chrom wrenching Lissa back when she almost turned the wrong way, and they fled back towards the camp. "Frederick!" Chrom called.

Behind them, a masked warrior leapt from the glyph, landing lightly on both feet. But the warrior wasn't alone. Several objects fell, scattered through the woods, one of them landing only a few feet away from Chrom and Lissa. The tremors stopped, and for a moment, everything was perfectly still.

"Chrom, what is that?" Lissa demanded, panicking slightly. The object looked to be a body at first. But then it stood, holding an axe.

"He's alive?" Chrom remarked, stepping towards the strange object. He wondered if they were about to find a second mysterious amnesiac. And then he realized his mistake, for the man in front of him was clearly not alive. His flesh had been darkened, and had begun to rot. His skin was tinted a sinister dark-violet, ashen hue. His eyes glowed crimson, and when he opened his mouth, the only noise that escaped was a rasping growl. "Stand back, Lissa," Chrom commanded, drawing his sword.

The undead creature didn't wait long. It rushed forward a moment after it regained its balance, swinging its axe over its head at Chrom clumsily. The skilled fighter easily avoided the rather obvious strike, and countered swiftly, impaling his foe. The monster gasped in surprise, the same raspy noise it had made before, and a cloud of nasty smelling dust poured forth from its mouth.

And then it swung its axe again. Chrom, caught flat-footed, narrowly avoided the blow before countering once more, this time simply decapitating the monster, then removing its arms. He would have continued, as the headless, armless abomination was still wriggling even as it began to collapse into dust. But Lissa cried out, and Chrom turned in time to see Lissa pinned by another of the fiends with her back against a tree, holding her staff out as if she was hoping she could parry an axe with it.

Chrom raced towards Lissa, hoping he could reach her in time, but to his surprise and relief, another warrior rushed past him, sword drawn, catching the axe with a neat parry. A quick counterattack later and the monster was left without arms. The newcomer was clearly familiar with battling these undead foes.

Silently thankful for the reprieve, Chrom decapitated the armless monster, allowing it to crumble into dust along with its companion. He turned, and in the light of the forest fire, he could see several more of the creatures staggering towards them.

The hoof beats of Frederick's steed sounded, and Chrom experienced a surge of relief, as he realized he wouldn't be battling this horde alone. "Milord, milady, are you hurt!?" Frederick was nearly beside himself with panic.

"Frederick!" Lissa called, sharing in Chrom's relief. "Robin!" she added, as the tactician stepped into the clearing as well.

Immediately after noting that his friends were uninjured, Robin turned his attention to the approaching enemies. "Are these horrific creatures commonplace in these lands?" he asked, shocked, as he realized that they were about to be assaulted by the living dead.

"They're not from Ylisse, I promise you that," Chrom answered, still uneasy. "We're outnumbered pretty badly here…"

"Well, Frederick and Robin are here now. _And_ the masked man who saved me! We should be… hey, where'd he go?" Lissa asked.

Frederick frowned. "We can worry about him later," he said, indicating the approaching zombies. "After we put these… things… to the blade."

"Wait, Frederick, what are those?" Robin asked suddenly, gesturing towards several groupings of barricades between them and the monsters.

"Abandoned fortifications. This must have been a battlefield some time ago, too," Frederick answered grimly.

"Chrom, let's push out ahead. If we can beat them to the forts, we can fight them from a better position. The spear walls will limit how they approach, and it appears the flooring is more even," Robin suggested.

Chrom nodded. "Alright then."

The four of them moved out together, for at Robin's insistence, Lissa could not be left clear of the battle; they couldn't be sure more of the monsters weren't approaching from behind. The first three zombies had passed the forts already, but mindlessly ambled forward, where they were cut down. Before long, the Shepherds were garrisoned neatly behind the walls. Bursts of lightning felled several of the zombies that approached, and the surviving undead were cut down as soon as they reached the entrances. Those who tried to crawl over found themselves hopelessly tangled and easy prey to Robin's magical assault. But still, more zombies approached.

More hoof beats announced another newcomer. Another knight, this one female, rode onto field on horseback. Her hair was cropped short, and was the same shade of red as her armor. She looked to be able the same age as Chrom and Robin. From her expression, it was clear she was ready for a fight.

"Captain Chrom! I'm coming!" she cried, as she rode towards the fort. She swore under her breath. "Gods. I knew I shouldn't have left them."

"Hold, milady!" A young man dashed up to the female knight, clearly out of breath from trying to pursue a horse on foot. His long, light-blue hair hung around him, rather neatly for someone who had been running through the woods. The female knight turned, her face screwing up in confusion. "Life may be long, but attraction is fleeting! Would you leave me in your sweet dust? Leave war to warriors, dear bird! A beauty such as you need wage only love!" the man proclaimed eagerly.

"Is this guy serious? His timing could use some work," Robin observed quietly, as he blasted away another zombie that had tried to crawl into the fort. At least it wasn't more zombies.

The female rider didn't seem too amused either. "The hell are you?" she demanded.

"Ha! Is the lady intrigued? Of course you are – it is only natural! I am myth and legend! The man who puts the "arch" in archer!" the man answered, presenting a finely decorated bow. "My name, dear lady, is –"

"Sorry, Ruffles. I don't have time for this." With that, the female rider turned her attention back to the warriors trapped in the fort ahead.

"Virion!" the man finished. "Err. My name. It's Virion. Where are you going?" Virion rushed forward again, trying to keep up with the rider. "Pray, at least tell me your name!"

The rider groaned. "I'm Sully. I'm a Shepherd. Now get –"

"Sully!" Virion pronounced joyfully, in his annoyingly musical voice. "How divine. A starkly beautiful name, as befits its owner, truly. Will you marry me, my dearest Sully?"

Robin groaned. Another Shepherd was definitely going to help, with the hordes of undead only growing thicker. But the strange archer was creeping him out, and worst of all, distracting their potential reinforcements. The rider had paused, a look of utter confusion on her face. She had actually hopped off her horse. "Chrom!" Robin cried, spotting one of the monsters that had found its way to another opening. Chrom reacted instantly, cutting down the creature before returning to his position. Lissa was scrambling around frantically, healing both Frederick and Chrom as needed with her staff. Robin turned back just in time to see the rider kick the archer in the rear, hard, before hopping onto her horse again, drawing her lance, and joining the fray.

Another lance proved quite helpful, and pretty soon the zombie horde began to thin. Just as things were beginning to look up though, Lissa cried out, and Robin cursed as he realized he had slipped up and a zombie had made it over the wall. He lifted his tome once more, but before he could strike it down, Virion, who had stumbled into the fort behind Sully, loosed a pair of arrows down the fort, hitting the zombie cleanly in the chest. A third arrow struck the zombie straight in the forehead, and it collapsed.

"Thanks," Robin said grudgingly, as he turned his attention to a nearby zombie. Hoping to conserve his magic, he drew forth his sword instead – tomes weren't infinite in use, and he had been emptying its pages of magic at an alarming rate.

Virion backed away uneasily. "I, as it happens, am an archer! The archest of archers, in fact. I attack most effectively from a distance, so kindly keep those horrendous creatures away from me!"

"He's nowhere near you!" Robin grumbled, as he cut down the struggling zombie. He turned back to check on the others, just as Frederick and Sully charged into the open, cutting down the stragglers. He sighed with relief – another crisis averted.

As the Shepherds regrouped, they were joined by Lissa's masked savior. "It appears this young man dispatched the others," Frederick said, introducing their mysterious new ally.

Lissa looked uncharacteristically nervous. "Um, I never got to thank you… you know, for before. So. Thank you. You were very brave."

"You saved my sister's life," Chrom added. "Thank you for your help." The masked man merely nodded. Chrom continued trying for a response. "My name is Chrom. Might I ask yours?"

"You may call me Marth," the masked man answered. Everyone but Robin blinked in surprise at that.

"After the heroic king of old? You certainly fight like a hero," Chrom remarked. "Where did you learn your way with the sword?"

Marth shook his head. "I'm not here to talk about me. This world teeters at the brink of a horrible calamity. What you saw tonight was but a prelude. You have been warned." With those parting words, Marth stepped away from them. The unnatural flames had mostly subsided already. Perhaps it had recently rained and the plant life was wet, or more likely, the fires weren't ordinary flames. Nothing else had seemed ordinary, after all.

Robin watched as Marth stepped away, disappearing into the darkness of the woods. Physically, Marth wasn't particularly impressive, standing barely over five feet tall with a rather slender figure. Marth's hair was precisely the same shade as Chrom's, and the scabbard Marth wore had looked rather familiar, as did the hilt of his blade. His voice wasn't deep either, giving Robin the impression that this Marth was probably rather young.

"What's teetering where now?" Lissa echoed quietly.

Robin shrugged. "Not much for conversation, is he?"

"There's little reason to concern ourselves with him now," Frederick answered. "I don't think we'll be getting much sleep tonight. Why don't we push on through? We can rest in Ylisstol." Without protest, the weary group trudged back to the camp and retrieved their supplies before setting off. And though no more monsters were seen that night, every one of them felt a little uneasy until they put the forest far behind them.

Ylisstol made for a pleasant change in atmosphere. The weary shepherds trooped into the city at the break of dawn, but already, the city showed signs of life. The streets were paved neatly with cobblestones, and various vendors were already scrambling around, laying out various trinkets or preparing food.

Unlike the village, which according to Frederick, was uninspiringly named "South Town", the civilians here seemed relatively unscathed. As they marched towards their destination, with Chrom leading the way, the city began to wake. There was no fear of brigands here, no strange undead monsters, and certainly no sign of the calamity that Marth had hinted at, Robin noted. Only people going about their peaceful, daily lives. In fact, the recent bandit activity was merely a subject of gossip.

"It appears the capital was spread the chaos we encountered. Thank the gods," said Frederick, echoing Robin's thoughts. "I see no evidence of the great quake. It must have been limited to the forest."

"Well, that's a relief," agreed Lissa, who had been far more cheerful since leaving the woods.

"Where are we headed, by the way?" Robin asked. There had been some talk of meeting with the other Shepherds, but that was about it.

"First, the castle," Chrom answered. Robin raised his eyebrows at that. It was pretty clear to him that the Shepherds were only shepherds metaphorically. Now that he thought about it, Frederick did seem rather formal, not to mention well-trained, for a vigilante. But a sudden bout of cheering and applause forestalled his questions.

"Look! The exalt has come to see us!" cried one nearby old man ecstatically. Others took up similar cries, as a regally dressed woman with elegantly braided blond hair passed by with her entourage. The monarch was younger than Robin had imagined, a few years older than Chrom. The same age as Frederick, perhaps. The exalt smiled and waved kindly at her people as she passed, spurring on the cheering.

Robin smiled as he watched the exalt and her entourage pass by. He couldn't help it; there was something about her that just inspired a sense of serenity in those looking on. Perhaps it was the gentle smile, or maybe it was the graceful way she carried herself. "The exalt is your ruler, right?" he asked Chrom, remembering their earlier conversation about Ylisse.

But it was Frederick who answered. "Yes. Her name is Lady Emmeryn. The exalt is a symbol of peace – our Ylisse's most prized quality. Centuries ago, the fell dragon sought to destroy our world. The first exalt, a descendant of the hero-king Marth, joined forces with the divine dragon and laid the beast low. Exalt Emmeryn is a symbol of those trials and our hard-earned peace." Though Robin didn't know anything of the divine dragon or the fell dragon, the name Marth rang familiar.

"With Plegia threatening war, the people need Emmeryn now, more so than ever. She's a living legacy of the royal bloodline, and a reminder that we must always strive towards harmony," Chrom added.

Robin nodded. That much was easily understood – the danger imposed upon South Town was cruel indeed, and could easily lead to retaliation and open warfare, a course that could only spread such horrors further. "Ylisse is lucky to have her."

"She's also the best big sister anyone could ask for," Lissa added, her good mood only magnified by the excitement in the crowd.

"Big sister?" Robin asked, furrowing his brow. "But wouldn't that make you and Chrom…"

Frederick smirked. "The princess and prince of Ylisse, yes. You remembered Chrom's name, but not this minor detail?"

Robin turned to Chrom, in shock, and began feebly stammering an apology for his lack of manners. But Chrom only laughed. "Relax Robin. And please, just call me Chrom. I've never been much for formalities."

Robin took a deep breath. Actually, once they said it aloud, it made quite a bit of sense. Frederick had always addressed Chrom and Lissa with unusual respect and formality. Even while traveling, their clothing and equipment was rather fine. "So, we're to report to the exalt directly then?" Robin guessed.

"To Captain Phila, actually," Chrom corrected. "She's the leader of Ylisse's Pegasus knights, and more or less the rest of our military as well." He pointed towards one of Emmeryn's bodyguards, a middle-aged woman with steel-gray hair and highly decorated golden armor. "But of course, Emmeryn will be present as well. Would you like to meet her? They should be returning to the castle soon."

Sure enough, Emmeryn was making her way to the castle as well. In the midst of the crowd by the castle gates, Sully had parted ways with them. To her annoyance, Virion chose to follow her as well. "Sully isn't too fond of formal meetings," Frederick commented. "Neither is Prince Chrom for that matter, but I'm afraid milord has little say in this matter."

They reached the gates soon enough. The beaming guards recognized them immediately and let them through, with only a single questioning glance towards Robin. Exalt Emmeryn and the captain Chrom had mentioned were standing only a few paces down the hallway. Upon seeing her younger siblings, Emmeryn's kind smile grew wider.

"Chrom. Lissa." Her voice fit her rather well, Robin thought. Quiet and kind as befit her appearance. But her speech was steady, with a confident undertone – upon hearing her, no one could mistake her for being shy or weak. "Welcome home. Oh, and good day, Frederick. I hope my brother behaved himself?" a hint of a teasing smile crossed her face.

"Of course, milady," Frederick answered politely, with a deep bow. "Although the journey certainly proved to be an exciting one." Emmeryn's expression darkened at that. "Brigands, milady," Frederick continued quickly.

"We won't have any issues with those bandits again," Chrom added, reassuring his sister. Emmeryn nodded, the peaceful smile returning.

"Wonderful. Are our people unharmed?"

"As safe as they could be. Although they were certainly shook up," Chrom said, shaking his head. "We must watch our borders more closely, we believe the bandits crossed over from Plegia."

Captain Phila, who had been quiet thus far, frowned at that last piece of information. "Forgive me, milord. My Pegasus knights should have intercepted them. I will alert them – we can't allow Plegians so deeply into our territory when our relationship with them is as strained as it is."

"I'm sure you did what you could, Captain Phila," Chrom insisted. "Frankly, our military hasn't been as strong as it should be of late, and we know your resources are limited."

"Besides, we took care of them. We found plenty of help too!" Lissa added, evidently eager to introduce the newest Shepherd. Robin only looked a bit uneasy – it was rather odd to have no memories one afternoon, and be introduced to the ruler of the halidom the next morning.

"Ah. I suppose you are speaking of your new companion here, sister?" Emmeryn asked, turning her attention to the platinum-blond tactician.

"She is," Chrom confirmed. "This is Robin. He fought bravely with us against the brigands, and for that, I've decided to make him a Shepherd."

"For that, Ylisse owes you a debt of gratitude," Emmeryn corrected gently, with a slight bow towards a surprised and flustered Robin.

"N-Not at all, milady!" Robin said. "I'm afraid I am the one who owes Ylisse – Chrom himself found me in a rather dire situation to begin with," he continued modestly.

"Forgive me, your grace, but I must speak," Frederick interrupted. "What Robin refers to is the fact that he claims to have no memories. We found Robin alone and unconscious in a meadow. His claims may be true, but we cannot simply ignore the possibility that he is a brigand himself, or even a Plegian spy. His robes, as you might've noticed, bear some similarity to those worn by Plegia's Grimleal priests."

"Frederick!" Chrom interrupted harshly, clearly frustrated by his retainer's constant vigil. Lissa looked equally annoyed, but Robin was merely surprised.

"Grimleal?" he asked curiously, examining his own robe more closely. "You believe me to be from Plegia?"

"The robes share a color scheme, although it has been a long time since I've encountered any true Grimleal," Frederick admitted. "I mean no disrespect, Robin, but…" he trailed off as Emmeryn raised her hand in a gesture of conciliation.

"I understand, Frederick. And I thank you for your prudence. Your concerns are well-founded in times such as these. But this man has earned my brother's trust, and who, in turn, has certainly earned ours." Emmeryn turned towards Chrom. "Robin will remain your responsibility, Chrom. Which of course, you already accepted when you made him a Shepherd, correct?"

Chrom nodded in acceptance. "Is that alright with you Robin?"

"Of course. Thank you, Chrom. Thank you, milady," answered Robin.

"Then it is settled," Emmeryn acknowledged. "I assume you, too, will watch over our newest Shepherd?" she asked, turning back to Frederick, who nodded stiffly, "Chrom and Lissa are blessed to have so tireless a guardian. I do hope they realize and appreciate it," she added with a smile. Chrom and Lissa both smiled sheepishly at that remark, but Frederick proved rather gracious about it.

"They occasionally express something akin to gratitude, your grace. But I'm afraid I must turn your attention towards other matters." Frederick quickly described their unusual encounter in the woods, with the mysterious masked warrior who called himself Marth, and the shambling undead enemies.

"We are aware of them," Phila admitted, with a heavy sigh, when Frederick had finished his tale. "My Pegasus knights reported them appearing sporadically across the country side this morning. I'm afraid your encounter was not an isolated incident."

"In fact," Emmeryn added, "We were about to hold council regarding this threat, as well as other recent troubles. I was hoping you would join us, Chrom."

"Of course," Chrom agreed easily. Frederick nodded, clearly intending to be a part of the meeting as well. But even as Robin began to wonder whether he should be included, Lissa tugged at his hand.

"Come on, Robin, that's our cue. Let's go meet the other Shepherds and get settled in!"

"Go on," Chrom said with a smile. "The Shepherds are practically one big family, and I think it's a good time for them to meet their new tactician." With those words, the group parted with Chrom and Frederick following Emmeryn deeper into the castle, while Lissa led Robin towards the courtyard and the barracks.

"The nobles are calling for war," Emmeryn began, her composure finally slipping. They had only just reached the throne room. Captain Phila remained by her side, and Ylisse's hierarch, the primary advisor to the exalt, had been waiting. Only Chrom and Frederick showed any sign of surprise; evidently, this matter had already been discussed in their absence.

"Which ones?" Chrom asked, feeling rather uneasy. The noble families of Ylisse held strong influence on the populace, especially here in Ylisstol. They were typically calm and reasonable, and fully supportive of Exalt Emmeryn's bids for peace. Political strife had not been common ever since the fall of the last exalt, during the first Plegian War.

Emmeryn signed heavily, the stress of the situation clearly visible in her eyes and expression. "Practically all of them. Duke Themis stands by us, still, but the scandal two years ago still weighs heavily on his reputation. The Plegians have postured rather aggressively and the commoners have been living under their shadow for several months now. The nobles are calling for a show of strength."

"In truth, such a course could prove wise, my grace," Frederick interjected. "King Gangrel is determined to provoke a reaction. We've done our best to ignore his antics thus far, but the situation will have to change, sooner or later."

"I understand. But Ylisse is not ready. Our military strength is limited, and more importantly, the populace has only just begun to recover from the last war," Emmeryn continued.

"Ready or not, I doubt Gangrel will respond kindly if we ask him politely to stop," Chrom remarked. "In fact, I suspect he'll simply claim ignorance of the brigands."

"Milady Emmeryn," the hierarch said, "Truly only one option lies before us. Ylisse has not the strength to wage war with Plegia. We must send for help."

"Our purpose is not war," Emmeryn reminded harshly, raising her voice slightly. "We must hold the needs of the people first and foremost, and any action we take must be to quell the bandit activity, but go no further."

"I understand," the hierarch agreed. "But to deter further action requires the same military force that we would need for the war. We must strengthen Ylisse."

"I concur," added Frederick. "I understand your trepidation, your grace, but any discussion of directing our military strength appropriately must wait until we have secured a relevant army. For months, King Gangrel has been rallying Plegia's forces. It would be prudent to gather our strength, even if we do not plan to retaliate against Plegia directly."

Emmeryn closed her eyes. She could not refute the counsel she had been given. But she knew her people, and knew that in their hearts, they sought peace. And she knew the nobles of her halidom. Anger and pride were dangerous. In truth, Ylisse's military had been kept weak intentionally – so long as her halidom had the power to fight, there was always the risk of petty individuals pressuring Ylisse down a darker road. She was determined to lead her people away from the horrors of war, but still, it felt like Ylisse was gravitating in that direction despite her efforts.

"You are right," she finally admitted, her eyes still closed. "We cannot simply hope for the Plegian aggression to pass."

"Ferox is our only option then," said Chrom. Ferox was the third country in the continent, sharing Ylisse's northern border. Ferox was a smaller halidom, plagued with bitter cold and unfertile soil. Strength of arm was the way of life in Ferox, and they would certainly prove to be invaluable allies should war beset Ylisse. In the former war, Ferox had remained neutral until Plegia's Grimleal joined the fray. Plegia was one of the few regions in the world that tolerated and accepted the crazed cultists who worshipped the fell dragon. Fearing the consequences should Plegia emerge victorious with the help of the dark magic, Ferox then sided with Ylisse.

Emmeryn nodded. It was inevitable, of course, that Ferox be involved. But in truth, she feared their involvement. Ferox was known for its harsh life, and that harsh life pushed their warriors to excellence. But the same temperament made them proud and belligerent. Should they suffer the same intrusions that Ylisse had, the mighty khans would inevitably call for war immediately. It would prove even more difficult to prevent a war if they were successful in forging an alliance. "Very well," she said. "Chrom, I ask that you travel to Regna Ferox, as a representative of the throne of Ylisse, to seek an alliance against the threat of Plegian aggression."

"Understood," answered Chrom. "I will gather the Shepherds, and we will march immediately."

"We will do no such thing," interrupted Frederick. "Forgive me, your grace, but we have traveled through the night, and I believe at least a night's rest is in order for our eager prince."

Emmeryn's smile returned. "Dependable Frederick," she said quietly to herself. "Then it's settled," Emmeryn said to rest of the council. "The Shepherds will set off tomorrow towards Regna Ferox. Time may be of the essence, but a single day will not impact our plans too greatly."

Elsewhere in the castle, Lissa led Robin to a large building at the edge of the courtyard. "Here we are!" she announced as she tugged open the large wooden door. "The Shepherd's garrison. Go on, make yourself at home!"

Robin entered, looking around curiously. Two women were chatting vigorously when they entered. One had light-brown, shoulder length hair, and wore a light suit of plate armor, of similar design to Sully's. The other woman had longer, blond hair, and wore a fancy pink and white dress. A young dark-haired man in oversized armor sat in the shadows behind them, casually drinking a cup of tea. A blond man with tanned skin, who wore only weathered leather breeches and boots, was sparring with an imaginary foe, swinging an axe around recklessly. As they heard the door open, all four turned their attention to Lissa and her companion.

"Lissa, my treasure!" cried the other blonde woman. "Are you alright? I've been on pins and needles!"

"Oh, hey Maribelle!" Lissa answered cheerfully.

"Oh hey yourself! I've sprouted fourteen gray hairs fretting over you!"

"You worry too much!" Lissa reassured, embracing her friend. "I can handle a battle or two!" Then her face scrunched up a little. "I could do without the bear barbeque though. Oh! Robin, this is Maribelle. She's my best friend, and the daughter of Duke Themis, one of Emm's staunchest supporters!"

Maribelle turned to Robin, wrinkling her nose slightly. But before she could say anything, the blond man cut in. "Hey squirt! Where's Chrom? I bet he had a rough time out there without ol' Teach and his trusty axe!"

"Oh, so you're "Teach" now, Vaike? And here I thought people were just born lacking wits. It can be taught?" Lissa asked with a giggle.

"Hah! Never doubt ol' Vaike!" answered Vaike, oblivious. The brunette interrupted before Vaike could truly process Lissa's comment.

"Hey, who's that?" Robin pointed out to the person sitting alone at the table with their legs on the table.

"Oh that's Y/N, he's the co-captain of the shepherds." Vaike said 

"Beg pardon, but when might we see the captain?" she asked, worriedly.

"Poor Sumia has been beside herself with concern," said Maribelle, with a sly smile. "She's been rather distracted. She might have earned fewer bruises fighting blindfolded than she suffered during training yesterday."

Sumia began to stammer nervously, but Lissa answered before the embarrassed woman could formulate a response. "Aw, Sumia, that's so sweet of you to worry about Chrom."

"Worry? He's our captain and our prince, of course I'd be worried!" Sumia protested. But before she could say anything else, Vaike spotted Robin's scabbard.

"Hah, you're a swordsman?" Vaike asked, beaming widely. "Let's go, buddy!"

"He's more than a swordsman," Lissa interrupted, going back to her introductions. "He just joined the Shepherds. Chrom made him our new tactician. You should see all the tricks he's got up his sleeve!"

Robin shook his head modestly. But before he could correct Lissa, Vaike had apparently decided he'd been challenged. "Oh yea? Can he do this?" With that taunt, Vaike let out a horrendous belch.

Robin stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded. "I'm sure I have much to learn still, actually," he answered tactfully.

"Vaike, that was abhorrent!" Maribelle protested. "Must you baseborn oafs pollute even the air with your buffoonery!? And you, Robin! Don't encourage him! I had hoped you were cut from finer cloth!" And with that, she stormed out of the barracks angrily.

"Don't take it to heart," Sumia said kindly. "Maribelle warms to people slowly. By the way, I'm Sumia. Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you too," Robin answered with a smile. "And you too, 'Teach'," he added with a grin, as he shook hands with both Sumia and Vaike. He turned, searching for the fourth Shepherd, but the dark-haired man must have stepped away as he was nowhere to be seen. But before he could ask about him, Chrom stepped into the barracks behind him. The meeting must have been rather short, or perhaps their detour to the stables to greet Sully had taken longer than he remembered.

Before Chrom could say anything, Sumia rushed forward to greet him. "Captain! You've returned! I was, I mean, we were," she began, before tripping. "Ouch!"

"Sumia!" Chrom cried out in surprise. He stepped over and extended a hand to the woman, helping her back to her feet. "Are you alright? You're still not used to those new boots, I suppose."

"N-No! I mean, yes! I mean…" Sumia stammered. Lissa put a reassuring hand on the brunette's shoulder, calming her down.

"It's alright," Chrom said reassuringly. "Anyways, listen up everyone. Tomorrow morning, we march towards Regna Ferox."

"Regna Ferox?" Robin questioned.

Sumia answered before Chrom could. "A unified kingdom to Ylisse's north. It's supposedly inhabited by barbarians."

"Warriors, actually," Chrom corrected. "They prize strength above all else, and it's that same strength we need to meet the recent threats to Ylisse. The exalt has chosen to send me in her stead to seek an alliance with Ferox. Given the situation though, I would appreciate any help and company the Shepherds would offer."

"I volunteer!" Lissa cried immediately.

"Me too," Vaike added. "You'll be needing ol' Teach along for such a delicate mission!" Robin cringed. Vaike's demeanor did not scream diplomacy to him.

"I'll go as well," the dark-haired man offered suddenly, appearing out of nowhere.

Robin's nodded, as he turned his attention. "I'll be there," Robin assured.

That left only Sumia, who was looking down at the ground hesitantly. "Um…"

"It's strictly voluntary," Chrom assured her. "If you're not comfortable you can remain here."

"I want to come," Sumia said quickly. "But… I'm just not sure I'm ready for a proper mission yet."

Chrom shrugged, unconcerned. "Then come along. If there's any fighting, stay clear of it, but you can observe at least. Some lessons are best learned on the battlefield."

"If you think that's wise, Captain," Sumia said, nodding.

"Alright then, get some rest. Vaike, can you notify Stahl? I bet you'll find him in the mess hall. Sumia, can you drop by the stables and tell Sully?" Chrom instructed. I'm going to head back to the castle and see if I can find Miriel."

Vaike and Sumia both nodded and set off. Robin turned, and to his surprise, the dark-haired man must have left too, as he was nowhere in sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright so we introduced the Male Reader/OC, from now on it'll be his POV.


	3. Warrior Realm / Part 1: Two Falchions.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shepherds have returned to Ylisstol, the capital of Ylisse. On arrival, they are given a mission to go to Regna Ferox, seeking an audience with the khans.

"Good morning, Robin!" Chrom called cheerfully, as Robin joined the rest of the Shepherds in the courtyard. Robin rubbed his eyes blearily and noticed that the sun was only barely peeking over the horizon. He had expected the courtyard to be empty a while longer, but Chrom, Lissa, Frederick, Sully, Sumia, and Vaike were already there. Vaike and Chrom appeared to be sparring, while Frederick and Sully were performing various calisthenics. Lissa and Sumia looked to be going through the supplies one last time before departure.

"Good morning," Robin answered drowsily. "Sorry, I only just woke up," he apologized, stifling a yawn.

"No worries, Frederick's morning exercises will wake you right up!" Lissa said cheerfully.

"Actually, milady, as our tactician, I believe it is Robin's responsibility to check through our supplies before we leave. As much as I appreciate your willingness to help, I believe you should leave Robin to his work and partake in our exercise routine yourself," Frederick suggested. Lissa chose not to dignify his suggestion with a verbal response, and instead simply stuck her tongue out at him before going back to digging through the supplies.

Going through the supplies didn't take long, and a few minutes later, Robin joined Frederick and Sully in their exercises. At Frederick's insistence, Lissa and Sumia followed suit, rather reluctantly. After about half an hour, Robin began to understand Lissa's aversion – they hadn't even left the castle and already his entire body was sore.

You hear people outside of your door getting ready, you open the door and see Chrom passing by. "Oh hey Y/N!" Chrom said cheerfully. "Hey Chrom, are we leaving for Regna Ferox now?" I said plainly. "Yeah, everyone's getting ready, you should too."

With that you went off to prepare, equipping your sword, and tome. You finally got outside your room and Chrom was announcing it was time to go, realizing you haven't had anything to eat yet, you grab an apple and take off.

"Alright, let's get going!" Chrom said, apparently tired of the sparring. Vaike was panting on the ground, entirely out of breath. Apparently the match had proved rather one-sided. The only new addition to their group was Virion, who Sully had been making a great effort towards ignoring.

"What about the others, milord?" Frederick asked.

"They will catch up," Chrom said with a shrug. "We'll set an easy pace until they do." With that, the Shepherds set off, with only a single castle worker in tow, driving the oxen-pulled wagon with their supplies.

Less than half an hour later, the Shepherds heard a loud shout from behind them.

"Wait for me! Wait!" Another young man, this one with short brown hair and dark green armor, mounted on a brown stallion, was racing to catch up to them.

"Careful there, Stahl," Frederick warned. "You don't want to tire your mount out too fast."

Stahl obediently hopped off the poor mount, grumbling. "Why am I the last to hear about the expedition to Ferox?"

"Huh?" Lissa asked, surprised. "But wasn't Vaike supposed to…" she trailed off as realization set in. "Vaike! Did you forget to tell Stahl about our mission?"

Vaike had the decency to adopt a mildly sheepish expression. "The Vaike never forgets! I just, don't always remember, is all…"

"Ugh. I swear, you'd forget your own name if you weren't constantly saying it yourself," Lissa pouted. "Speaking of which, are you sure you remembered your axe this time?"

"Hey!" Vaike protested angrily. "That was one time! Okay, maybe twice, but training sessions don't count! Anyways, it's right here," he said, presenting his axe. "Teach is loaded and ready for action!" He turned to Stahl. "Glad to have you along, Stahl, ol' buddy!"

Stahl groaned. "Well, that makes one of us. I was in such a hurry I forgot breakfast! There were muffins, and cakes, and…"

"Your name is Stahl, right?" interrupted Robin.

"Ah! You must be Robin. Miriel told me about you before I left." Stahl then turned to Chrom. "Speaking of which, Miriel said she'd be along shortly."

Chrom nodded. "Good. By the way, Robin," he said, turning to the tactician, "Miriel is one of our mages. She's a little bit eccentric but quite clever."

"Milord! Risen up ahead!" Frederick warned suddenly.

"Risen?" Robin asked curiously.

"The undead monsters from before. Our encounter with them in the woods was not the only sighting of them," answered Chrom. "Frederick and I thought they needed a name, especially if we're going to be seeing more of them. But I had no idea they'd spread this quickly," Chrom continued, gesturing to the shambling creatures on the field below them. Unlike the pack from the woods who had all carried axes, some of these risen carried swords and lances instead, and were spread out, wandering aimlessly.

"We'll have to clear them out," Frederick remarked. "We can't let them roam until they happen upon a village."

Chrom nodded his assent. "Everyone, stay alert! Remember what we're up against!" And with that he started down the road, the shepherds in tow.

You immediately draw out your blade, ready to fight. "Stay on alert guys."

"Huh, guess you can talk." Robin said smiling.

"Ha! They'll remember ME once I drive my axe into their…" Vaike began to boast, but he trailed off, a look of horror sprawled across his face. "My axe! Where's my axe?"

"This is no time for jokes Vaike!" Chrom berated angrily.

"I'm serious! I just had it a minute ago!" Vaike said defensively.

"Keep to the rear with Sumia then," Frederick said quickly, as the risen had spotted the approaching shepherds. "Now move!"

Frederick led the charge immediately, with Sully and Stahl in tow, the three riders rushing down the field towards the nearest group.

"Wait!" Robin cried, hoping to stall their charge. To his surprise, Frederick did stop, the other two riders following suit. "Frederick, leave those on the hill to Chrom and I. Cut across the field with Sully, and Stahl, Y/N, you'll be riding with Frederick, once those three have taken care of the enemies in the middle, it'll be your job to drive back those swordsmen!" Robin instructed, gesturing towards a slightly farther group of risen. There four risen there, three of them carrying rusty blades, and the last clutching a pole arm. "Virion!" Robin added. "Follow Chrom and me, but not too closely."

"But of course, my egregious commander," Virion answered smoothly.

Frederick glanced across at the other force while you climbed on to Frederick horse, then nodded to confirm that he had heard Robin, before leading Stahl and Sully towards them. The three axe-bearing risen they had closed in on made to give chase at first, but turned around when Robin and Chrom approached.

"Why'd you send them over there?" Chrom questioned as they drew closer. At the pace they were moving, he and Robin would meet the risen in the middle of a small copse of trees.

"These risen carry axes," Robin answered. "The heavier weapons are sturdy enough to parry lances easily. Frederick and Sully would fare better against the swordsmen, where their reach gives them the advantage. Besides, you and I can move through the woods more easily than their horses can."

Chrom shrugged. "Good thinking, but we may be outnumbered here." Then he frowned. "I guess we'd be outnumbered anyways."

Predictably, the trained Shepherds managed to handle the risen rather easily. Robin retreated after bringing down his first foe, when a second managed to land a glancing blow on him. Virion proved to be of little help – his attention rested solely on the riders across the field. Robin looked on enviously as Chrom, clearly a more talented swordsman, easily dispatched the remaining two. Lissa came rushing towards him, but he forestalled her help, drawing forth a small pouch from his belt instead. Across the field, the riders had cleaned up the other group and were returning. But the battle wasn't over yet – a dozen more of the risen had noticed them from across a nearby river, and were marching over the narrow bridge.

"Excellent!" A stern voice sounded behind him. A woman with dark red hair and pair of spectacles stood there, dressed in black and forest green robes. "It seems my timing was perhaps a mote short of perfection. But that is of little consequence," she said, talking to herself.

"Miriel!" Lissa called. The mage acknowledged Lissa's greeting with a slight nod, but her attention remained on the risen.

"Now, to extirpate these brutes," she announced, as she started making her way down the field.

"Miriel!" Robin interrupted.

"Ah, you must be Robin, the tactician Chrom appointed rather unceremoniously," the bespectacled woman said, turning to him.

"Yes, that's me. Look, gather Virion, the clown with the long light-blue hair over there, and head to the bridge. I'll ask Frederick to try to hold the risen at the bridge. When you two catch up, we can clear them out from a safe distance.

Miriel acknowledged his instructions with a nod, then paused. "Hmm? Is that an axe?" She gestured towards a shining object laying on the meadow a short distance away. "Perhaps someone mislaid it," she said, as she lifted it from the ground.

"My axe!" Vaike cried. He raced over to Miriel, who glared at him.

"I wondered what manner of ignoramus would mislay their weapon," Miriel remarked. "Now I know."

"Thanks, Miriel!" Vaike said cheerfully, before wresting his axe from her grip and rushing down towards the bridge. In the meantime, Virion had finally snapped to attention upon seeing a signal from Miriel. The two of them rushed to the bridge, as Robin and Chrom set off to regroup with their victorious cavalry. Robin quickly outlined his plan, and the knights set off, only just beating the other Shepherds to the bridge.

Frederick, Chrom, Vaike, Stahl, Sully, and Y/N, carried out Robin's instructions beautifully, striking the nearest foes and retreating repeatedly to keep their risen foes from retaliating, With their foes distracted, Robin, Virion, and Miriel launched a barrage of magical lightning and fire, punctuated with arrows, cutting the rest of the risen down quickly. By the time Lissa and Sumia caught up with the supply caravan, the battle was over.

Once Frederick, Stahl, and Sully were done doing there side of the work, it was my turn now, I jumped off Frederick horse's, raising my blade immediately cutting down the foe in front of me, lance users were coming towards me now, I'm at a disadvantage, you turned around to see the others went off to help the others, you decide to risk it and battle the lance users. As one of them was trying to impale you, you used your blade to bring the lance upward to give yourself an opening, you sliced down the lance user, and as for the other lance user you switch from sword to tome, launching a bolt of lighting towards your foe, you continued onward to clear the path.

"Good riddance," Chrom said, as he strolled away from the piles of ash the risen had left behind.

"Indeed. These risen are a blight upon our land," Frederick remarked, a trace of bitterness in his tone. "We will need to remain vigilant – no road is truly safe now."

When the supply caravan, Robin immediately distributed medical supplies to those who needed them. Frederick had packed several pouches of vulnerary herbs and bandages. According to Lissa, her staff was limited in power. It seemed prudent to conserve its magic if possible, and rely on conventional healing methods. Thankfully, none of the others had suffered more than a few minor scrapes and cuts, and the gash on his own arm was the worst of it. Before long, they were on the road again. You decided to search one of the enemies bodies, you found a unique tome, while you held it in your hand you feel stronger, you decide to keep it.

A few hours later, they came to a river just as the sun began to set. "A good place to set up camp," Chrom commented. "Get some rest, everyone. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring."

Apart from Frederick and Sully, the Shepherds were tired and grateful for the reprieve. Less than half an hour, Frederick was calmly roasting a wild boar over an open fire, while numerous tents had been set along the riverbank. You set up your tent near the riverbank as well, fortunately you brought a fishing rod, so you decided to fish, a while after you decided to roast it over an open fire, you saw Frederick roasting some boar. Frederick looked at the fish, and you looked at Frederick boar meat, "I'll give you one for one." You both say in sync, you both share a laugh at the fire. 

Robin frowned as he approached Frederick uneasily. In their battle with the risen, his lack of experience with the blade definitely showed. Frederick still distrusted him, however he was the most experienced instructor. "Frederick," he greeted hesitantly.

"Yes, Robin?" Frederick answered calmly, as he continued turning the roasting boar. His attention, though, remained on Vaike, Stahl, and Virion who were playing some sort of card game a short distance away.

"I have a request," Robin began. "I carry a sword, but I'm afraid my skills aren't quite up to par."

Frederick turned to Robin, surprised. "You would ask me to train you? Robin, you've proved yourself a credible tactician already, and your magical talents more than compensate for your inexperience with the blade."

"Maybe," Robin said, unconvinced. "But there are situations in which another capable swordsman could prove valuable."

Frederick nodded slowly. "If you'd like me to train you, then I will be glad to assist. I will find you when we have time. But for now, you should rest." With that, he turned his attention back to the campfire. "However, Y/N here, he's one of our best fighters here, he's skilled with a sword, magic, and bow and arrow." 

"Well Y/N, is that alright with you? Will you train me? Robin said. Silently, he wondered what he was getting himself into, Frederick did say he was skilled with a sword, and that's coming from Frederick...

"Sure, I'll train you." You say

"Oh great, thanks a lot Y/N." He says happily.

The evening's meal proved far more acceptable to Lissa than the roasted bear from the night in the woods. The Shepherds chattered cheerfully. Winning battles decisively had that effect on soldiers, Chrom mused. Though his own career as a warrior was short, he had seen the aftermath of a battle gone south, and was glad that, so far, they've avoided the heavy atmosphere of grief and doubt that accompanied costly skirmishes.

The Shepherds were more than just friends, he decided. They were family. And it put his heart at ease to see his family at peace. He looked around, happy to see the others engrossed in their conversations. Interestingly enough, most of the Shepherds were about the same age, having seen just a couple decades of life. Robin looked to be his own age, as did the tagalong archer, Virion. Lissa was a couple years younger, Miriel, Vaike, and Frederick a couple years older. "Just like normal soldiers," Chrom noted quietly. Young, reckless, and ready to serve their homeland. Hopefully he wouldn't let them down.

Not long after they set up camp, Robin had noticed a stack of books in the back of the supply caravan. As it turns out, the books belonged to Sumia, who was an avid reader. He asked to borrow some, particularly those relating to strategy or military history, and had turned in for the night early, clutching a small tome. "He does seem quite driven," Chrom muttered aloud. If Robin could continue to deliver such clean victories to the Shepherds, even a dangerous road didn't look quite so long.

As the night grew darker, the Shepherds began to disperse for the night. After stifling a strong urge to yawn, Chrom decided it was time for him to turn in for the night as well. But as he walked towards his tent, he realized that he should check on the animals – the horses and oxen were tethered to trees a short distance from the camp.

A few hundred feet of the camp, he suddenly lost his footing. He tried to catch himself, but the ground caught up to him first.

"Captain!"

Chrom crawled to his feet and turned, surprised to see Sumia racing towards him.

"Are you alright?" the girl asked, seemingly on the verge on panic.

"I'm fine," he reassured. "I tripped over a pebble, that's all," he said, as he brushed the dirt from his clothes, and kicked the offending stone away.

"It's because you're exhausted!" Sumia said. "You've been working too hard lately!" Chrom looked at her, surprised – she was more assertive than he had expected, given her normal stammering and nervousness.

"A bit," Chrom admitted. "But so is everyone else. Fighting wears on everyone pretty quickly."

"Maybe, but you're not just fighting, you're also our leader," Sumia continued. "You carry a burden far greater than anyone else."

"It's kind of you to say so," Chrom said gently. "But everyone looks to their commander for inspiration. Tired or not, I have to stay strong."

Sumia shook her head. "I can't imagine what it's like… but that's only more reason for you to get some more rest, Captain. There's no need to pretend."

"But there is," Chrom countered. "We're facing a war. If things worsen, we need capable leaders. Emmeryn can't be left standing alone."

"Neither can you," Sumia insisted. "We're here for you, remember? Every one of us."

Chrom couldn't help but smile at that. "Alright. You win. I'll make sure to get plenty of rest tonight. I'm just going to go check on the animals, then I'll head straight to my tent. Alright?"

"You'll head back to your tent now," Sumia proclaimed. "I'll go check on the animals for you." Chrom looked ready to protest again, but Sumia cut him off. "Unless you want the entire camp to hear that our mighty leader was bested by a pebble," she added, with a sly grin.

"You know, this is beginning to sound like blackmail," Chrom protested weakly.

"Good night, Chrom!" Sumia insisted, waving cheerfully as she walked away.

You were the first to wake, it was still night but the sun was slowly rising in the distance, you decided it was time to give Robin some training, so you went to his tent to wake him. "Hey Robin, wake up." You said softly. 

"Yeah he- oh hello Y/N" He said

"Come on, you wanna train or not." You say plainly

"Right now?" He said. "It's still night...but fine." He grabs his sword and comes out of his tent. You and Robin head out to an open field with a couple of trees and a small hill.

"Alright Robin, when your ready, we'll duel. You said getting ready.

"Alright...I'm ready." He says.

As he said that you charge at him and he does the same. Training until it was time to go. Eventually Robin figured he couldn't win after a LONG while, he thought he could sleep for a while. A few minutes later...

"Up and at them, Robin."

"I just got into bed...ugh."

He donned his cloak before crawling out of his tent. It was now morning.

Everyone was now packing there tents and getting ready to move out. You had almost no sleep, that's the reason why you trained Robin that early in the morning, you decided to take a nap in the caravan.

They continued their march, which proved thankfully uneventful. On the morning of the fourth day, Chrom announced that they were expected to reach Regna Ferox by the afternoon, and the Shepherds, with exception of an exhausted tactician, continued with a renewed spring in their step. 

The night before, curiosity got the best of him, and he spent the evening engrossed in a tale of rogues and wyverns traveling the wilds. That proved another decision he would quickly regret, as his morning training proved twice as miserable when he was half-asleep to begin with.

The weather had grown colder over the past few days, and by midday, they were treading upon a freshly fallen blanket of snow. Still, the Shepherds were undaunted, and their spirits only lifted further when Frederick pointed out their destination was in sight.

"It's probably less than five miles out," Chrom announced, as he gestured towards the rather drab fortress in the distance. Vaike cheered – annoying as he could be at times, he was always in a contagiously bright mood. 

Robin joined the cheers, until a sudden motion a few hundred feet to the left of their path caught his attention. He relaxed when he noticed it was a large animal of some sort. Its exact shape was hard to make out, as it was as white as the snow around it.

"Robin?" Chrom asked, noticing the tactician had stopped.

"Oh! Sorry," Robin said. "I just noticed there was something over there. An animal of some sort, I think." Only Chrom and Lissa had heard, and both looked in the direction Robin was pointing.

"I think it's a Pegasus!" Lissa said suddenly, excited. That got the attention of the rest of the Shepherds. She then took off, running over to get a closer look.

Chrom shrugged. "We'll be right back," he told the other Shepherds, as he and Robin raced to catch up to Lissa.

Lissa had come to a stop several feet away from creature. It was definitely a Pegasus. The magnificent horse had lustrous white hair, a full but unkempt mane, and two wings of large, white feathers. The creature eyed them as they closed in but otherwise remained still.

"It's a Pegasus alright," Chrom said. "But I think it's hurt. Look at its leg." One of the Pegasus's hind legs was bent rather awkwardly. Chrom approached the animal carefully, fumbling for his pouch of medical supplies. But the Pegasus had other ideas. As he closed in, it reared up in a panic and flailed its front legs at the approaching man, letting out a short cry.

"Whoa!" Chrom said, backing up instantly. "Easy there!"

"Captain!" Sumia said, catching up to them.

"I'm alright, I'm fine," Chrom said, his voice a bit shaky. Sumia's gaze was transfixed on the Pegasus though. "Sumia!" Chrom cried, as Sumia slid past him and approached the animal.

"It's alright!" she assured him, as she removed her right gauntlet and extended her hand. The Pegasus eyed her nervously for a bit, but there was no sign of the violent reaction Chrom had elicited.

Chrom, Lissa, and Robin looked on in awe as Sumia gently stroked the Pegasus's mane. "Easy now, girl. I won't hurt you," she said quietly.

"How did you do that?" Chrom asked, dumbfounded.

"I have a way with animals," Sumia said nonchalantly. "You all go on ahead – I'll dress her wounds and we can catch up as soon as we can."

"Are you sure?" Robin asked, clearly uneasy about leaving their least experienced soldier alone in the wild.

"Positive," Sumia answered calmly, still stroking the Pegasus.

With a shrug, Chrom passed over the pouch he still held. "Stay safe, Sumia. And take your time," he said, also a bit nervous. And with that, he led Robin and Lissa back to the waiting Shepherds.

 

Within a few hours, the Shepherds found themselves standing in the shadow of their destination. Regna Ferox may have appeared drab from a distance, but the up close, the fortress was foreboding and intimidating. The howling winds certainly didn't make the Shepherds feel any more comfortable.

"This is the Longfort," Chrom explained. "It stretches along the border of Ylisse and Regna Ferox. Our destination lies just beyond this gate."

Someone decided to poke your cheek, you rub your eyes and see it was Lissa. "Hey Y/N, time to wake up." She says smiling. 

"Oh, are we there already?" You said

"Yeah we are, so get ready." She says happily.

"Thank's Lissa." You said smiling, causing Lissa to blush

"N-no problem." she says

"The khans that rule Ferox have grown quite wary of foreigners. They may not be as hospitable as you're expecting," Frederick reminded the group. "But don't mistake it for open hostility." Turning to Chrom, he added, "Milord, this simply calls for a little tact and diplomacy."

Chrom acknowledged the reminder with a nod. "I know, Frederick. Negotiation's not my strongest suit but I'll do my best."

As they approached the wall, though, the mood became considerably grimmer, as a javelin was thrown from the wall, landing only a few paces away from Chrom.

"Halt!" a voice demanded. The commander, a rather tall woman in heavy armor, stepped to the edge of the ramparts above. "Who goes there?" she demanded.

"In the name of House Ylisse, we've come seeking an audience with the khans," Chrom shouted back. It was impossible to be heard over the wind otherwise.

"Not another step!" the commander cried out, as Chrom stepped closer to ensure he could be heard.

"Hold, milady!" Frederick pleaded. "Exalt Emmeryn herself sent us to discuss matters of mutual interest!"

"My only interest is to keep you brigands out of Regna Ferox!" the woman retorted fiercely.

"We are not brigands!" Chrom protested. "I am Prince Chrom of Ylisse, accompanied only by those who have willingly put their lives at risk to defend our halidom!"

"Hah! A likely tale!" the woman jeered. "You claim to be a prince of Ylisse? Then prove it the Feroxi way: on the battlefield!"

Frederick and Chrom flinched – this was certainly not part of the plan. But before they could protest, the commander shouted out an order, and the Feroxi soldiers readied their javelins.

"Chrom! Frederick! Get back!" Robin shouted. Frederick reacted immediately, pushing Chrom back, before retreating himself. But he had underestimated the range of the javelins thrown. Chrom staggered to his feet, just as several more javelins flew straight towards him. 

As you saw arrows fly towards Chrom, you run towards him, hoping to push him out of the way but...

Something white streaked across the battlefield, whisking Chrom away just in time. Robin and Frederick followed the blur, panicked, before realizing what it was. Sumia was riding on the back of the Pegasus they had found, clutching Chrom's hand desperately as he dangled from the side of the Pegasus, high up in the air. As the Pegasus slowed its ascent, Sumia managed to help Chrom climb onto the Pegasus's back as well.

"Better hold on tight," she warned, as the Pegasus went into a dive, landing carefully amidst the rest of the Shepherds.

"That was timely," Chrom said faintly.

Sumia smiled, her usual nervousness setting in now that the adrenaline rush was over. "I-I'm just glad we made it. In time, I mean," she stammered.

"Is this really that same Pegasus we met on the road?" Robin asked curiously. The Pegasus wasn't even limping, although there were a few bandages on her previously wounded leg. Sumia had evidently groomed her, as well, for the mane was now spotless and orderly.

"She's a real sweetheart, aren't you, Caeda?" Sumia said, gently petting her newest friend, any trace of nervousness gone now that the subject had turned to her surprising mount.

"Very touching," Frederick commented distractedly. "But I think it's best if we direct our attention to the Feroxi."

"Right," Chrom said, his face set with grim determination. He turned and watched as some soldiers filed down the narrow staircases. "The Feroxi way it is!"

The battle proved a short one. Robin knew it was best not to harm their enemies more than necessary. He divided the force into two groups, one for each of the stairways the Feroxi were approaching from. Once their enemies were sufficiently distracted, Sumia flew Chrom up to the top where he could challenge the enemy commander directly.

Robin led Stahl and Virion to his side. After a quick skirmish with the first pair of soldiers to greet them, he felt vindicated for his efforts to train with Frederick – their first opponents were beaten soundly, without ever getting close to landing a blow on Robin. Stahl was less fortunate, a stray arrow catching him on the arm, but his armor took the brunt of the attack. Sumia was to fly me up to take down some enemies.

And then, to Robin's surprise, additional reinforcements for the Shepherds arrived in the form of the dark-haired shepherd he had met back in Ylisse. The man's oversized armor shielded him from the worst of his foes, and with his help, the Feroxi found themselves surrounded and struggling.

"Who are you?" Robin asked curiously, as the fighting came to an end.

"Kellam, sir!" the man answered. "I'm a Shepherd… or at least I was. I think I still am? It's quite the honor after all, I'd hate to lose it…"

"How did you get here?" Robin asked, confused.

"I've been with you all the whole time," Kellam answered. "I guess I am a bit easy to miss…"

Robin looked at Kellam incredulously. How anyone could move so quietly in such a large and heavy suit of armor was beyond him. But now that he thought about it, he had noticed an extra tent each night. In fact, he may even have seen Kellam walking through the camp once or twice.

A shout from a Feroxi soldier brought him back to reality – Y/N had captured the Feroxi commander, and the battle was over.

"A thousand apologies, Prince Chrom," the female commander, Raimi by name, pleaded. "I truly mistook you for brigand imposters. I'm afraid the bandits have been plaguing our doorstep for months."

"No harm done," Chrom said agreeably, accepting the apology. Only a couple Feroxi soldiers had been seriously wounded, and both were expected to survive. The Shepherds had escaped relatively unscathed, despite the vicious reputation that accompanied the Feroxi warriors.

"Allow me to escort you to the khan," Raimi said, bowing once more.

"Honor is incredibly important to the Feroxi," Frederick explained sagely, as they followed Raimi towards the castle. "By defeating her in single combat, Chrom has earned her respect."

"The same principles holds true for the khans. Naturally, the Feroxi are led by their strongest and most honorable warriors," Chrom added, as they stepped into the castle.

Robin peered around the audience chamber. To his surprise, the person waiting for them was a woman. Her blond hair was tied in a single ponytail, in a rather ragged fashion, and she wore a suit of crimson and silver armor. She was about the same height as Chrom, and looked to be about the same age as Frederick. Her tanned, muscular arms were exposed, save for a pair of bracers. She had a rather fierce look about her. Not quite the warrior leader Robin had been imagining, but she certainly appeared formidable nonetheless.

"Khan Flavia, I present to you, Prince Chrom of Ylisse," Raimi announced.

The khan eyed her guests for a moment, noting the signs of recent exertion. Then, to Chrom's surprise and Frederick's consternation, she tossed her head back and laughed. "Welcome, mighty prince! I apologize for any troubles you may have encountered at our borders," she finished with a broad grin. "Welcome to Ferox."

"Thank you. I'm sure we can put that misunderstanding behind us. But tell me, is it true that bandits have been ransacking your border villages?" Chrom asked.

"Plegians," Flavia spat. "We managed to hunt down on their leaders. It appears Plegia sent them to stir up some bad blood between your kingdom and ours."

Chrom groaned. "Damn those cowardly cretins." Frederick shot him a quick glare, as if to remind him he was in the presence of their neighborly kingdom's ruler. "Forgive me, your grace," Chrom added quickly, getting the message. "I forgot myself for a moment."

But the khan simply waved away the apology. "Don't sweat it, Prince. Here in Ferox, we appreciate plain speech. There's no need for flowery language; I'd sooner you speak sincerely," she finished, again with a broad smile.

"In that case, you should have a word with your border guards," Chrom said with a smirk. Frederick was shocked, but Flavia merely burst out laughing.

"I like you already." She turned to the border commander who still stood quietly by. "Raimi – please show Chrom's men to the guest quarters. I'd say we owe them a bit of hospitality at least for the trouble you put them through."

Several of the Shepherds noticeably relaxed at those words. "Thank you," Chrom responded. These negotiations certainly seemed to be going well. As the others made to leave, he quickly gestured for Frederick and Robin to stay. "By the way, this is my loyal retainer and friend, Frederick, a knight of Ylisse. And with him is Robin, our tactician."

Flavia nodded, acknowledging the other two, before continuing. "I think I know why you've come, Prince. We are aware of Plegia's aggressive troop movements, and the Grimleal have been seen once more. You've come to secure our aid should war befall Ylisse. Am I right?"

"Indeed," Chrom answered simply.

Flavia shook her head sadly. "Regrettably, I cannot provide any Feroxi troops to Ylisse right now." Her sincerity and the unusual decision took the three Shepherds aback.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Frederick finally said. "You must see the threat of Plegia as clearly as we do, your grace."

"I do," Flavia admitted. "But I lack the authority." Noting Chrom's look of surprise, she went on quickly. "Ferox is ruled by two khans. Decisions critical to the wellbeing of our entire country fall to the reigning khan, the victor of our annual tournament. While my predecessor, the former east-khan, was the sovereign during the last Plegian war, I'm afraid that last year, the west-khan's challengers proved superior."

"So, you can't help us at all?" Robin asked.

"I can't help you right now," Flavia clarified. "And the west-khan is quite the oaf. I can't promise that he'd see things quite the same way you or I do. But fortunately, the next tournament is only three days from now. Your timing is quite fortunate."

"So, if you win, you'll help us?" Chrom asked. "Is there any way we can help?"

Flavia smiled shrewdly. "I thought you'd never ask. As a matter of fact, the tournament is fought by handpicked champions. And outsiders have frequently been chosen. Although, the foreigners have never included foreign royalty, to my knowledge," she finished, laughing once more.

Chrom's eyes widened as he understood her request. "You want me to champion you in this tournament," he stated.

Flavia shrugged. "You defeated Raimi, did you not? You are certainly capable. And besides, with the alliance I am offering you on the line, well, let's just say champions always fight harder when they have something to fight for."

Frederick made to protest but Chrom waved him back to silence. "You are right, Khan Flavia. My people need your help, and so I will indeed do whatever it takes."

Flavia clapped Chrom on the shoulders enthusiastically, having received the answer she wanted. "Then it's settled! But be warned – the west-khan's champion last year was his right-hand man, an incredibly gifted swordsman. This year, he's chosen another champion, one reputedly even stronger."

"It matters not," Chrom answered, determination in his voice. "He shall be defeated by Ylisse's necessity."

Khan Flavia proved generous, extending whatever courtesies she could to the Shepherds. But the Feroxi way of life was rather different – a warm fire, cool water in which to bathe, and hard cots in which to sleep were pretty much all they had to offer. Feroxi cuisine seemed to consist almost entirely of cabbage and smoked or salted meat – crops didn't seem to grow too well in their rocky soil.

On the second day, Robin did notice an empty guest room, furnished with thick fur blankets, a soft bed, decorated wooden chairs, and a heated bath. He asked Raimi about it curiously, who took no offense at the question.

"The room is reserved for guests of particular importance, but who we feel don't truly belong," she explained. "Though foreigners see it as luxury, the Feroxi see it as nothing more than weakness. Khan Flavia has afforded the Shepherds significant respect by asking us to house you in the rooms designed to accommodate our own people. The prince's room is in fact the room that is usually offered to the west-khan himself when he visits to challenge the east-khan. But of course, this year, the challenge will be in the west-khan's arena."

Robin had seen Chrom's room, but it had seemed precisely the same as the other rooms. He shrugged and thanked Raimi for the kind explanation. Feroxi customs were unusual, but after camping in the wilds for every night he could remember, save the one night in Ylisstol, even the hard cots were a welcome reprieve.

On the morning of the third day, Chrom instructed Lissa and Frederick to go rouse the rest of the Shepherds. Flavia had told him the night before they were leaving at daybreak, so they could reach the west-khan's arena before noon. Thankfully, the two arenas and castles were relatively close.

Most of the Shepherds roused easily. Vaike required a bit of shouting to awaken, but Sully had been wide awake already. To Lissa's surprise though, Robin didn't answer his door when she knocked. Robin had definitely become accustomed to waking early after training with Frederick in the mornings. She knocked again, before finally opening the door.

She was shocked to see Robin sitting at a hard wooden desk instead of lying on his cot. His chin rested on a large, dusty tome. "You must be really wiped out," she commented quietly. Robin didn't stir. On one hand, she felt bad for the tactician – he was really giving his all to the Shepherds. On the other hand, he really did need to relax a little bit. She grinned as she slowly reached out and suddenly pinched his nose shut.

"Argh!" Robin cried, coming awake instantly. He seemed to jump slightly in his chair, too, and the uneven stool he had been perched upon toppled over, unceremoniously dumping him on the hard wooden floor. "Risen! Wolves!" he cried, before he realized it was only Lissa standing over him, laughing wildly. "Lissa?"

"S-Sorry," she stammer, between tears of laughter. "I tried to resist! But you're so uptight ever since Chrom made you our tactician… oh no!" she said, realizing that Robin had accidentally knocked over a small pot of ink, which was oozing onto the tome.

"What?" Robin asked, climbing to his feet. When he saw the tome he was horror-struck. He rushed forward, pulling it away from a pool of ink. "Oh man, Flavia's going to kill me!" he moaned, as he wiped off what he could.

Lissa frowned as she saw the title of the book – "A History of Feroxi Warfare," she read aloud.

"Yea, I was hoping to get a grasp of their battlefield tactics for when they're fighting by our side," Robin explained. He turned to her angrily. "Why would you wake me like that?"

"It… it was just a joke!" Lissa protested feebly. She did feel rather guilty.

"And you're supposed to be a princess," Robin groaned. "Is this how your parents raised you?" Lissa's face fell at that remark, and Robin noticed he must have unintentionally struck a nerve. "Um… sorry. Sorry, Lissa, I didn't mean to…" he stuttered.

"I never really knew my parents," Lissa admitted. Then she smiled. "Don't worry though, I know you didn't mean anything by it. Sorry about the book though," she said, staring at the dusty and wet tome.

"I think it'll be alright," Robin said thoughtfully. "I don't think anyone's ever read this book until Flavia lent it to me, anyhow. Or any other book in Flavia's library, for that matter."

The Shepherds and Khan Flavia's entourage arrived at the arena a few short hours later. A great feast had been prepared, although the reigning khan was absent. "Tradition," Flavia explained. "We face his champion in the arena first. After the fight, the khans and the surviving champions will meet." Unlike the rather limited Feroxi cooking that had been offered before, the west-khan must have gone to great lengths to impress his guests. Various imported vegetables and fruits were spread across the wide tables. The stews were made with many exotic spices, and in addition to the staples of the Feroxi diet, pork and mutton, there was also a surprising variety of game. Stahl was particularly excited, although Robin couldn't help but notice that Lissa and Frederick both sat as far from the hunk of roasted bear as possible. "I guess Frederick's not quite an adventurous eater," Robin said to himself, grinning.

He hadn't meant to be heard, but Sumia was sitting close enough to overhear. "You mean, Frederick the Great can't stand bear? After all his lectures about unpleasant experiences and building character?" she asked, laughing.

After the meal, the Shepherds filed into the arena stands, supporting their captain eagerly. Everyone seemed confident that Chrom would win easily, but Sumia still appeared rather nervous. At the entrance to the arena itself, Lissa, Frederick, and Robin had followed a bit closer, offering their silent support. But the day had another surprise in store for them.

The west-khan's champion stepped into the arena from the opposite gate. A slight figure with dark raven-blue hair, a finely tailored blue tunic, and a mysterious black mask.

"Chrom, look!" Lissa cried out, recognizing her savior from the night in the woods. "It's Marth!"

"I see him," Chrom said.

You see a masked man. "Looks like the current champion."

The cheering struck Robin as rather morbid. One of the two champions could easily die in the arena if the fight went on too long, Flavia had warned them. And yet there was no fear in the eyes of the Feroxi spectators, only excitement.

Down in the arena below, Chrom called out to his opponent. "Marth! One question, before we begin?" Marth didn't answer, and simply rested a hand upon the hilt of his sheathed blade. A scabbard and hilt that still looked awfully familiar to Robin. "Fine then," Chrom said, when it was clear he wasn't going to get an answer. "Our swords can speak for us!"

With that, Chrom leapt forward, drawing his own sword in a single fluid motion, and slashing downwards. Marth mirrored the movement perfectly, drawing his own blade and leaping forward as well. Chrom had expected to simply overpower the smaller warrior, but Marth matched his blow easily and the two reached a stalemate.

Only then did Chrom realize something – the sword Marth held was identical to his own. He backed away in shock. "That sword… where did you get that sword?" he demanded.

For the first time since Marth entered the arena, he answered. "My father!" Marth cried, as he thrust his blade forward. As Chrom shifted to parry the straightforward attack though, he realized he had seen the stance and technique before. Trusting his instincts, he adjusted his footing and halfway through the parry, he slid his blade to the side instead. Sure enough, Marth's thrust had been a feint; the devious warrior pivoted and slashed horizontally instead.

Still shaken by the sight of his opponent's weapon, Chrom had only narrowly parried the clever blow. He extracted himself from the fight behind his parry. He had so many more questions for this opponent, but Marth wasn't wasting any time. Marth advanced, thrusting forward and forcing Chrom further back, until Chrom found his back to the arena wall.

As his elbow grazed the wall, Chrom realized he was in trouble. In that moment he heard the cheering of his Shepherds, and a series of loud swearing that could only be Khan Flavia. "I can't let them down," Chrom muttered.

Finally, Chrom began to strike back. He launched himself into a series of advanced attacks and counterattacks, techniques that were taught to the elite swordsmen of Ylisse. Marth was familiar with Chrom's attack routines though, and met every slash, slice, and thrust with the appropriate parry. Another surprise, Chrom thought grimly. Marth was well-versed in Ylissean sword techniques. Thankfully, Chrom wasn't quite out of options yet.

As Marth executed a quick and clean double parry, slapping Chrom's blade aside, Chrom dove to the side as if to retreat. Marth followed hastily with another quick thrust, but Chrom wasn't trying to move away. He leapt forward, past Marth, beating his opponent's extended blade, before launching a backhanded slash at the opponent now behind him. It was one of his own techniques that he developed over the past few months.

To his surprise, Marth had predicted the unusual move and dropped to the sandy floor. Chrom's blade swung over the prone Marth, slamming into the wall instead. Unfortunately for Marth, the blade bit deep into the wall. The audience roared in applause as the wall crumbled, chunks of rock burying the fallen warrior as Chrom jumped aside.

Chrom turned to see everyone else fighting the others, however he noticed that Y/N cut down more foes than the others.

The fight was clearly over, and Chrom hurriedly pushed the larger pieces of fallen rock aside, freeing Marth. "Here," Chrom said, helping Marth back to his feet. But before he could ask any of the hundred questions swirling through his mind, Khan Flavia pulled him away firmly, announcing her victory to the cheering audience.

Chrom turned in time to see Marth leaving from the opposite side of the arena. It seemed his answers would have to wait for another day.


	4. Part 2: Two Falchions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With winning the battle, gaining the trust of the khan, they head back towards Ylisstol.

Chrom left the arena to a chorus of applause, mostly from the victorious Khan Flavia's supporters. The weary Prince spotted commander Raimi amidst the throng, and thought he recognized several of the border guards as well. Over the course of an hour, the crowd slowly filtered away and Chrom was left with only the new reigning khan and his Shepherds.

The audience gone, Khan Flavia turned to Chrom, her regal demeanor falling away in favor of excitement and giddiness. "Well fought, Chrom!" she congratulated. "As promised, you have your alliance – Ferox will stand by Ylisse in her time of need!"

Reality sunk in, and washed away Chrom's unanswered questions about Marth and the weapon – he had won, and more importantly, he had succeeded. "Truly? Thank you, East-Khan."

"Hah. I should be thanking you, Prince! It feels like ages since I've been the one in charge. Come along, my friends. Tonight, we celebrate!" With that pronouncement, Khan Flavia set off to retrieve her own soldiers and prepare for the march back to her own castle.

"Bah! Any excuse for a party and Flavia jumps on it!" Chrom turned to see a grumbling man approaching. The man was taller than any of the shepherds, close to seven feet in height. His skin was dark, much like Flavia's, and his face was sterner still than the East-Khan's fierce visage. A finely cut eye-patch obscured his left eye. He wore a suit of golden plate, with a layer of dark mail armor visible beneath between the seams. A wild white fur collar completed his impressive ensemble.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Chrom asked politely. The man had a bitter look about him, and was perhaps the most intimidating man he had ever met. Several of the nearby Shepherds looked on uneasily.

"I'm Khan Basilio. The west-khan you so rudely removed from power, boy!" the man grumbled. Then, to their surprise, the khan smiled. "You're handy with the sword. Congratulations. I thought the man I chose was practically unbeatable."

Seeing an opportunity, Chrom asked, "What do you know about him? Your champion," Chrom clarified, as Basilio adopted a questioning look.

"You mean that 'Marth'? Bah. He's just a sell sword with delusions of grandeur. A capable one, perhaps. He knocked my old champion flat in mere heartbeats. Never thought much of you Ylissean swordsmen, but first Marth and now you!" Basilio ended with a loud laugh. "Though I'm afraid you've been used, boy. I have more sense than to ignore those Plegian dogs at our doorstep. You should've come to me to begin with!" Chrom stuttered, trying to form an apology, but was drowned out by another gale of roaring laughter. "Don't sweat it! It's only a year until the next round, eh?" Basilio continued. The man could clearly carry on a conversation on his own, but Chrom still needed some answers.

"Khan Basilio, where is Marth now?" Chrom asked.

"Gone. Up and left the moment the tournament ended. Strange fellow," Basilio replied. He didn't seem too interested in his defeated champion, but someone else was.

"He's so mysterious…" Lissa said quietly, with a sigh.

"Sounds like Marth has at least one fan," Robin teased, seeking a little bit of payback for his rude awakening that morning.

Lissa glared at him for a moment. Then she rolled her eyes. "Well, I mean, c'mon, he is sort of dreamy, isn't he?"

"Sound's like Lissa likes someone." I say

"Wh-what, I never said I liked anyone Y/N!" She says while blushing.

"Milord? Milady?" Frederick interrupted, cutting through the tension. "If this fascinating discussion is over, we'd best prepare ourselves for the journey home. The exalt should be told of our new alliance as soon as possible."

"Right," Chrom acknowledged.

"Hold!" Basilio interrupted. "Before you go boy, I have a present for you. A token of good faith, as some folk would say. Lon'qu!"

A slender man dressed in a simple blue and red tunic approached. His muscular frame was visible through his thick clothes, despite his light frame. He carried a sword of unusual make, with a long curved blade. The weapon hung from a simple belt loop, the blade exposed. His hair was dark, and his face stern. Silently, Robin wondered if everyone in Ferox generally bore the same expression.

"This is Lon'qu, my former champion," Basilio introduced. "Not too talkative but he's the best swordsman I've ever laid eyes on, save for you, Prince, and Marth."

"Marth beat him? But he looks so… fearsome!" Lissa remarked, stepping closer for a better look.

"Away!" Lon'qu barked harshly, and Lissa nearly jumped out of her boots.

"Hey!" Lissa protested, when she realized that was all Lon'qu had to say. "What did I say?"

Basilio laughed. "Ladies tend to put Lon'qu on edge." Lon'qu shot the Khan a hateful glare. "Nonetheless, he's capable. Might even surpass me someday! Anyways, he's all yours for now, Chrom."

"You're certain?" Chrom asked, glancing at the swordsman. The swordsman met his stare silently.

"Of course, boy!" Basilio barked. "Consider him West Ferox's first contribution to our cause."

"And you have no objections, Lon'qu?" Robin added. Basilio couldn't have planned this beforehand unless he had known of Flavia's champion. The plan seemed rather sudden, and he wondered if Lon'qu would feel put upon.

Lon'qu abruptly put that fear to rest. "He gives orders. I stab people. I think our roles are clear."

"Huh, I think I'll like this new guy." You say while looking at him.

"Alright then, welcome aboard," Chrom said, extending a hand. Lon'qu stared for a moment before accepting the offered handshake.

Many of the Shepherds thought they had been "all feasted out" by the end of the festivities before the tournament, but Khan Flavia insisted upon another grand meal when they returned. The table set that night proved even grander, as Flavia was determined to outshine Basilio. The west-khan had been invited of course, and would never willingly miss a feast. He seemed to take the loss in stride, and simply laughed and promised a better performance the following year if anyone asked.

"You know," Chrom said, sitting down beside Robin and Lissa near the middle of the table setting down a large plate of food. "I have to say I'm surprised. I didn't realize the Feroxi had pastry chefs."

Robin smiled ruefully. "The noise got to me. And our delicate princess has spent a little too long cheering with the others."

"I am not delicate!" Lissa protested hoarsely. Robin and Chrom merely smiled, and continued their meals.

"By the way, Chrom. I've been meaning to ask," Robin began, casually. "When you found me that day on the road, collapsed and without memory, why did you take me in?"

"Well… you said it yourself, you were collapsed and without memory," Chrom answered with a shrug. "What kind of Shepherd would I be if I abandoned you there?"

"Of course… but I've been thinking. It was rather reckless of you, wasn't it?" Robin asked quietly. "It could very well have been a trap."

Chrom shrugged again. "To me, helping someone is worth the risk. That's who I am, Robin."

"Besides," Lissa piped in. Her voice still sounded a tad strained. "It's Frederick's job to be paranoid, Robin, not yours. So just relax!"

Robin smiled, remembering Frederick's earlier treatment of him. For the most part, he and Frederick had put that behind them, and Robin now knew exactly how Frederick felt. "I guess you're right Chrom. You are who you are. It's inspiring, in a way. I've known you for less than two weeks, and already I know I'd gladly suffer any risks for your sake. I suspect the rest of the Shepherds feel the same."

"That goes for me, too," Chrom said with a smile. Then he frowned. "This pie is rather odd – there doesn't seem to be any meat in it at all."

"It's a blueberry pie," Lissa explained. "I was helping Sumia, and Y/N cook it earlier."

"Strange. I normally hate blueberry, but this actually tastes pretty good," Chrom commented. "Wait a moment, did you say Sumia was in the kitchen? What on earth for? And Y/N? Cooking?"

"Well I offered to help," Lissa replied with a shrug of her own. "Flavia was looking for some help, saying she wanted to make sure the feast was even grander than the one this morning."

"Huh." Chrom remarked, staring at the food. "Y/N is full of surprises isn't he?"

"I helped too!" Lissa protested. Chrom tried to stifle a laugh to spare his sister's feelings, and Robin decided he didn't need to know the extent of Lissa's culinary skills.

A loud commotion on the other side of the room caught their attention.

"Really, I know I'm not particularly conspicuous, but this is going a bit far…" Kellam grumbled, as most of the others seated at the table roared with laughter. A thoroughly drunk Sully was swiveling back and forth, as if searching for something.

"Kellam, you just need to be a bit less subtle," Frederick advised.

Kellam had just delivered another round of drinks to the table. Stahl, distracted by Virion's grand tales, saw only drinks appearing out of thin air and cried ghost. Several others, equally surprised, took up the cry, until Frederick pointed Kellam out. But apparently, Sully was too drunk to see straight, for she started accusing Frederick of seeing things.

"Yeah… I don't think this armor exactly screams subtlety," Kellam remarked dryly. His armor was at least a few sizes too large, but he had absolutely refused to allow the local smiths in Ylisse to adjust it, claiming sentimental reasons. As an added benefit, the armor clanked heavily as he walked, which he had hoped would help him stand out a little.

"Well, try speaking up a little louder," Stahl offered helpfully.

"Who ye talking to?" Sully slurred. Kellam only groaned.

"Poor fellow," Robin remarked.

"Which fellow?" Lissa asked with mock curiosity, laughing at Robin's confused expression. "I'm just kidding!"

"Oh yeah!" Robin said, remembering another question he had for Chrom. "You seemed distracted during the fight earlier, Chrom. Did you notice something else strange about Marth?"

"Strange doesn't do it justice," Chrom answered, while calling Y/N over. "Did you notice his sword?"

"It's the same as yours isn't it Chrom? You said

"Of course," Robin answered. Lissa looked at the three men quizzically. "It looked quite a bit like your sword."

"Really?" Lissa asked. Apparently, Marth's weapon had escaped her notice.

"It wasn't just a lot like my sword, Robin," Chrom said with a sigh. "It was identical." Lissa's eyes widened at that.

"Well, that's not too strange is it? Maybe it came from the same smith," Robin suggested.

"Well there is only one, according to my knowledge, unless you want to go back in Ylisse's history." You said

Chrom laughed. "Sorry, I forgot, you don't know much about Ylisse's history Robin." He lifted his sword reverently and gently set it on the table. "This is Falchion. It's completely unique, a weapon once wielded by the hero-king Marth himself. It has been passed down his bloodline, generation by generation, for three millennia."

"Really?" Robin asked, impressed, as he inspected the weapon.

"Really," Chrom confirmed with a slight smile. "It's a sacred relic belonging to Ylisse's royal family. The guard and handle have been re-forged on numerous occasions, but it's the same blade. Legend has it that it was once blessed by the divine dragon, Naga. It's one-of-a-kind."

Robin shrugged. "Well, then Marth must be carrying a replica. I mean, the real Marth lived almost three thousand years ago, right?"

Chrom sighed. "I guess you're right, Robin. The real Falchion is right here, so I suppose Marth's must be only a copy. It sure is well-made though, it looked so real I wasn't even sure I'd be able to tell them apart."

They set off late the next morning, the Shepherds as chipper as could be. They had every reason to be, after all, for their mission had proved successful. Robin had successfully roped Lon'qu into joining the morning training sessions. The quiet swordsman didn't seem too enthusiastic, but he joined without any complaint, and began instructing Robin in Feroxi sword techniques. I wasn't to interested in Feroxi sword techniques, but I joined way.

Robin was pleased with his progress, although he had to admit the routine was wearing at him. As he got to know his comrades better, he found himself spending more and more time accompanying them on their chores, sparring, or simply chatting by the campfire in the evenings. He refused to slack on his training or his studies, especially with a small stack of texts relating to military history that Flavia had given him sitting in the cart.

He had also found a new hobby. During his stay in Ferox, he had discovered a small wooden board, decorated with a carefully carved grid. Accompanying it was a set of figurines representing soldiers with varying armaments. Flavia, seeing his interest, had pressed the board onto him as a gift. "No one here remembers how to play it anyways," she had said with a laugh.

As it turned out, Virion, of all people, was familiar with the game. Although much simpler than true warfare, after a few short lessons, Robin was convinced it could be a useful tool for tacticians to prepare their strategies. Virion himself played exceptionally well, although he insisted his own strategies wouldn't be suitable for a true tactician. "I'm afraid my victories come at a cost far too great to be effective in our campaign," he admitted. "While I have dabbled in military strategy myself, I must confess that my victories stem from focusing on simpler objectives, and claiming them with whatever resources I have. You are by far the better strategist than I, and I expect your grasp of field tactics will rival mine soon enough."

Their trip back to Ylisstol was relatively uneventful. They had encountered a small band of risen milling about. The horrors proved too few in number to threaten the skilled and disciplined Shepherds, and merely gave the jolly band more stories to share around the campfire. Chrom called for an early stop that afternoon, an opportunity for the Shepherds to revel yet another flawless victory.

Chrom had asked Robin to give him a summary of the last battle, a task which Robin prepared eagerly for. But as he approached Chrom's tent, he was intercepted by Sumia.

"Sorry, Robin, but Chrom's taking a nap," she explained, a little hesitantly. "I… I hope you don't mind, I told him you wouldn't mind holding off the meeting for a bit."

"Chrom? Taking a nap?" Robin was perplexed. Postponing his report didn't bother him in the slightest, but if there was any Shepherd who got less sleep than he did, it had to be Chrom.

"Yep!" Sumia said cheerfully. "About time too, he looks like he hasn't slept for days!"

Robin looked at her strangely, silently wondering how she had managed to convince the normally tireless Chrom to actually rest. But that only turned Sumia's attention to his condition.

"Hmm. You look like you could use a nap too, Robin," Sumia observed.

"I wish," Robin replied ruefully. "But-"

"No excuses!" Sumia interrupted. "Tired people make mistakes, and we can't have that!" Robin began to protest again but Sumia simply ignored him and dragged him to his tent. "I'll wake you up when it's time for dinner. Sleep tight!"

For such a soft-spoken and shy young woman, Sumia could be awfully assertive at times. "Good night, Mother." Robin said sarcastically as she left. He had meant to catch up on his sleep when they returned to Ylisstol, but a quick nap sounded quite attractive for the time being.

"Well, you two are certainly in a good mood today," Sully remarked. She and Stahl were riding besides Chrom and Robin at the front of the formation, serving as the vanguard for the Shepherds.

"Who wouldn't be in a good mood? We'll make Ylisse by midday," Chrom answered. "By the way Stahl, thanks again for that tonic you brewed for me. I didn't know you knew how to prepare medicines."

"Oh it's nothing," Stahl said modestly. "I mean, it was just supposed to help you relax. Besides, Robin was the one who helped me gather the herbs."

"Well, it certainly spared me an awful fate," Chrom said quietly, under his breath. The two riders had pulled ahead a little and didn't hear him, but Robin did.

"What's that?" Robin mused.

"Oh. Nothing," Chrom said quickly, surprised to be overheard. When Robin didn't look convinced, he added, "Really, I was kidding."

"Does 'nothing' have to do with you missing our meeting yesterday?" Robin teased.

"Oh right. Eh. Sumia was very explicit about what would happen should I refuse to get some rest," Chrom admitted.

"That's a pretty impressive feat in itself," Robin said, slightly awed. "Frederick should take notes – you've gotten pretty good at ignoring his nagging."

Chrom rolled his eyes. "Technically, it's Frederick's fault. Apparently he went a little overboard with his efforts to build moral, and Sumia managed to reign him in. I was thankful for that, right until she told me she would only stay silent about it if I called off our meeting."

Robin laughed. "What did Frederick do now?"

Chrom smiled again. "Sorry. My lips are sealed."

"I guess I shouldn't talk," Robin said with another laugh. "She did put me to bed not long after. You know, that girl has a strange knack for getting her way."

Chrom's predictions proved accurate, and they reached Ylisstol by noon. To his surprise though, Captain Phila met them just outside the gates. "Prince Chrom!" she cried. "Thank the gods you've returned. The exalt must speak with you immediately."

Chrom nodded, and climbed aboard Phila's Pegasus. "It must be urgent. Frederick, I'll meet with you all back in the castle."

"Of course, milord," Frederick replied. "We'll make our way back to the barracks as quickly as possible."

"Don't get too comfortable," Phila warned Frederick as she was taking off. "For all of our sakes, I hope your mission was successful – Plegia is stirring." And with that ominous announcement, Phila and Chrom took to the skies.

"Welcome back, Chrom." Emmeryn had been waiting in the throne room. Chrom stepped forward, embracing his sister gently.

"Everyone's safe, Emm. Don't worry about us so much – I imagine your job here has been far more difficult," Chrom said reassuringly.

"Then I suppose your new tactician is working out well for you?" Emmeryn asked. Chrom nodded.

"Robin's one of us, Emm. It feels like he's been here for us forever," Chrom said. "And Ferox has pledged their help. Hopefully that will be enough to force Gangrel to reconsider this war."

Emmeryn's face fell. "I'm afraid that's why I sent Phila to bring you back," she said worriedly. "Plegian soldiers crossed the southwest border two nights ago, and razed several villages in Themis during the night. The survivors claim that they abducted the duke's daughter, as well."

"But that would be… Maribelle!" Chrom realized.

"Maribelle...isn't that Lissa's friend?" You said

"Yes she is Y/N, but she isn't just a friend, she's apart of the shepherds." Emmeryn said

"King Gangrel is claiming that we invaded his country," Phila said. "He's demanded an explanation for our actions, and insists that the exalt meet him in person at the border pass."

"No." Chrom answered immediately. "The Mad King cannot be trusted."

"We have no choice, Chrom," Emmeryn replied sadly. "Should I refuse, it would mean war. And Lady Maribelle will be executed."

"And if it's a trap?" Captain Phila argued. "King Gangrel would like nothing more than to leave Ylisse leaderless as he begins his campaign."

Emmeryn sighed. "It matters not. Even should King Gangrel refuse to see reason, I must try – my responsibility to Ylisse as its exalt demands no less."

"Aptly put, milady," the hierarch said, lending her his support. "The moment we give up on peace is when peace is truly lost. We must speak with King Gangrel. He must see reason."

Chrom frowned. "I don't like this, Emm. Men like Gangrel don't care for peace. If we offer him parley, we would only be playing into his hands."

"I don't like it either, Chrom," Emmeryn assured. "But, I reiterate, we have no choice."

"Please, at least tell me you're not going alone," Chrom said, fearing the worst.

"As a matter of fact, I would be grateful if you and your Shepherds would accompany me. You are right, Chrom – King Gangrel cannot be trusted," Emmeryn admitted.

"You forget, Emm. Maribelle is one of us, too. We'll all be there, for you, and for her," Chrom assured.

"Then it's settled," Emmeryn proclaimed. "The border pass is but two days march from here. We will depart as soon as possible. This afternoon, if we can manage it."

As Chrom expected, the only complaints he received upon sharing the disturbing news were a few of the Shepherds wanting to set off immediately, rather than waiting to re-supply. Not a single Shepherd even hinted at wanting to stay behind, despite the journey they had just put behind them. Chrom himself felt rather impatient, as Robin and Miriel desperately tallied their supplies. Many of the Shepherds were on the verge of panic, especially Lissa, who had taken the news rather badly.

A few short hours later, the Shepherds set out once more, with the exalt herself accompanying them. As they left the castle, a young man accosted Chrom, who accompanied Robin and the last of the supply wagons.

"Captain! Wait for me! I'm all packed!" he said, panting. At first, Robin mistook the newcomer for a child. He fell short of five feet, just inches shorter than Lissa, and he had a boyish face, framed with messy auburn hair. He wore blue and white robes, similar in style to Miriel's.

"Ricken!? What are you doing here?" Chrom asked, shocked.

"I'm also a Shepherd, remember? And Maribelle is my friend, too!" Ricken answered heatedly. "I want to help!"

"Ricken, you've never been in the field before," Chrom said kindly. "This mission is dangerous and I don't think you are ready for it quite yet. You need to remain here."

The boy shook his head angrily. "Captain, you know my skill with magic. I can handle myself out there!"

"Not this time, Ricken," Chrom insisted, shaking his head. "If you really feel you're ready for the field, you can accompany us on our next journey, but this mission is just too delicate – we won't have time to show you the ropes." Ricken looked crestfallen. "Stay here and help keep our home safe, alright? Be good now."

"Who was that?" Robin asked curiously as they set off.

"Ricken's the youngest Shepherd, although he's not quite as young as he looks. He'll be eighteen by the end of this year," Chrom replied. "He's the only child of one of Ylisse's old high houses. His family's reputation has been waning lately, and they've become less outspoken, but they've always supported Emmeryn whole-heartedly. He's a friend of Lissa and Maribelle's, and he's been studying magic with Miriel."

"Another mage could come in handy," Robin remarked off-handedly.

"I know," Chrom said with a sigh. "And I'd love to have Ricken along, to tell the truth. But Maribelle's in danger already, and I don't know if Ricken is really ready for this. What if he loses his head out there?"

"Literally or figuratively? Never mind, I suppose both would be rather problematic," Robin remarked lightly.

"You have got to stop spending so much time with Frederick," Chrom said with a grin. "First the lecture on being careful, and now the dry, morbid humor. If you're not careful, you'll be clearing the path ahead of us of pebbles before long."

"Is that what he does when he scouts ahead?" Robin asked, surprised. "I thought he was just collecting them."

Setting up camp was a little more troublesome than Chrom had anticipated. No one really wanted to stop; the urgency of the situation weighed heavily on every member of the procession, but eventually, the animals were simply too tired to go on. Reluctantly, Chrom decided to call off the march and prepare some food.

"You really are rather familiar with this, aren't you?" Emmeryn asked her brother, as Chrom joined Sully in starting a campfire. Even weary as she was, her voice still held the same soothing quality it always carried.

"I do what I must," Chrom said with a shrug. "Emm, if our pace is too much for you, just let me know," he added, noting how tired his sister looked.

"I'm fine, Chrom" the exalt reassured. "This is as important to me as it is to the rest of you."

"Of course, but you have to watch your limits. Even Frederick admitted that," Lissa put in, plopping herself down on a nearby log. Emmeryn only smiled, silently thankful for her strong, younger siblings.

"Are you alright, Sully?" Chrom said, noticing that their companion was unnaturally quiet.

"O-Of course, sir!" Sully stuttered. Chrom gave her a questioning look; Sully was normally never nervous. Then he understood; a casual conversation with the exalt was probably not normal for the crimson-haired knight.

"Well, that's alright then," Chrom said casually. He looked around, noticing that Captain Phila and several of her Pegasus knights seemed rather uncomfortable with the crude campsite. "I'm beginning to think the rest of our military needs to spend some time roughing it on the road," he remarked with a light smile, hoping to set Sully at ease by turning her attention towards the others.

"They'll learn," Sully said with a shrug, Chrom's ploy proving effective. "It just takes a little getting used to. I still remember my first trek with the Shepherds."

Robin slipped into the nearby woods after their evening meal was prepared, an extra plate of food in one hand, and a torch in the other. Trees had stretched along both sides of the road, ever since about an hour out of Ylisstol. These parts seemed rather overgrown, but the keen-eyed tactician had noticed rather early in their journey that they were being followed. He had a fairly good guess as to who it was.

"You can stop hiding in that bush, Ricken," he said quietly, when he spotted a flash of blue peeking out from behind the leaves.

Abashed, Ricken crawled out of the bush, clutching his traveling pack. "Um… hello. You must be the tactician Chrom found, right?" he asked nervously.

"That's me. Call me Robin," the tactician replied calmly. "I believe you were supposed to remain in Ylisstol, were you not?" Robin asked.

Ricken frowned. "I signed up to help protect my friends and country, sir! Now one of my best friends is danger, and every Shepherd is marching off to help. I have to be there!"

Robin made a gesture for Ricken to quiet down. After checking to make sure they weren't overheard, Robin spoke again. "I won't tell Chrom," he promised. "If it were me being left behind, I'd do the same thing, to be honest, and I've only been a Shepherd for less than two weeks.

"Ricken, I know why you are here. Chrom is a good person. All of the Shepherds are good people. I haven't known them for long, but they trusted me and accepted me, and I'd be damned if I didn't do everything I could to help them. And if I knew they were trying to hold me back for my own sake, well, that's just more reason to keep trying."

"So you do understand!" Ricken said gratefully, visibly relieved.

Robin smiled, and handed over the extra plate of food he had brought. "I won't tell Chrom, but you need to promise me two things, Ricken. You need to stay safe. This is supposed to be a negotiation, but the way Chrom and the exalt have been talking, it's pretty clear they're both expecting things to get ugly. So, I need you to stay out of sight. I'll show you a couple hand signals. If I see an opportunity for you to help, I will let you know when and where to strike. Alright?"

"Got it," Ricken said, nodding eagerly as he began eating. Robin noted a few berry stains upon Ricken's robe. It was quite admirable that the young man would suffer sleeping on pine needles and subsiding on wild berries just to be a part of this. "What's the other thing?"

"You can't forget to take care of yourself," Robin said. "It was brave of you to come here, but you can't forget, the Shepherds care about you too. Do you have family at home?" Ricken nodded. "Then that's only another reason to look out for yourself. Alright? I've got a spare bedroll with me that you can have, and I'll try to slip some food out to you. But if you get hurt somehow, or something happens, forget about trying to stay hidden from the Shepherds and come let us know."

When Robin returned to the camp, he decided that at least one other Shepherd would have to know. Frederick was too alert, and would notice Ricken sooner or later anyways. Robin grimaced, knowing this conversation could be rather difficult, but to his surprise, Frederick was more than willing to go along with it.

"You're right," Frederick admitted when Robin finished telling him about the encounter in the woods. "King Gangrel simply cannot be trusted, and we would be wise to hold a few tricks up our own sleeves when we approach him." When Robin looked surprise, Frederick shot him a rare smile. "You need not doubt yourself any longer, Robin. Though you've been with us only two weeks, you've proved yourself again and again, be it in battle, or in your dedication to our cause."

"T-Thank you," Robin stammered, touched.

"No thanks are needed. My trust in you is not a gift, but something you have earned. As Chrom mentioned before, you're one of us now."

Robin gazed into the campfire for a moment, reflecting upon his rather small collection of memories. Maybe he didn't know who he used to be. But thanks to the Shepherds, he knew who he was now. And that was good enough for him. After a while Robin saw a shadowy figure coming from the forest, as he was pulling his sword out, he realizes it was Y/N.

"Oh hey Y/N" Robin says

"Come on, let's go train." You say

"Alright, let's go." He says

Arriving to our spot, I pull out 2 wooden swords, "We'll be using wooden swords now" You said throwing the other one to Robin.

"Alright Y/N, I'm ready." He says

"3, 2, 1...GO" You yell.

As you charge towards Robin ready to pierce him, he blocks the attack, that's when he retaliates, however I blocked his attack, his blade and your blade made a cross shaped, you kick him in the guts that's when sweep your foot towards him knocking him down, holding the blade next to his throat.

"Well, let's try again." You say smiling

"Huh, so you can smile." He says while smiling as well.

 

 


End file.
